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April 4, 2002updated 17 May 2007 11:30am

Brindle out to make a splash with Swimmer

By Press Gazette

A new health and fitness magazine is being launched by a former managing director of Scotsman Publications.

Warwick Brindle’s Newcastle-based Streamline Publishing will unveil its debut launch in June – the monthly Swimmer magazine.

He is among Streamline’s financial backers and has also taken up a consultancy role.

The 68-page, perfect-bound glossy will feature contributions from British Olympic swimming stars Adrian Moorhouse, Sharron Davis and James Parrack, as well as hints on stroke technique, land training exercises and "healthy" takeaways.

Nick Brownlee, former showbiz editor of the Evening Chronicle, Newcastle and former features editor of the Sunday People, is co-editor with Ian Blackhall, who has written for the Evening Chronicle, Northern Echo, The Observer and Daily Mail.

Publisher Chris Proud, who is a keen swimmer, said existing magazines tended to be aimed purely at competitive swimmers, focusing on race results and reports. "They are not targeted at someone who uses swimming as a way to keep fit and healthy," he told Press Gazette. "The potential readership is huge – with nine and a half million regular swimmers in the UK, swimming is actually the most popular activity sport in the country."

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Brownlee said his only experience of swimming was being fished out of a pool as a cub scout at the age of eight. "We are trying to aim it at the whole spectrum – men and women – not just some muscled-bound blokes in a swimming costume," he said.

The title is published in association with the Amateur Swimming Association as part of its new Swim Fit national fitness programme.

Backed by a £300,000 marketing budget, the magazine will launch on news-stands nationwide with a print run of 25,000.

Proud said he was hoping to achieve settle-down sales of 30,000 in the next two years. Initially, it will be sold through fitness clubs but the company is hoping to strike a deal with WH Smith shortly.

It will rely predominantly on freelance contributions until the launch is up and running.

"We would like to launch other titles but at the moment want to concentrate on making sure Swimmer is a success," Proud added.

By Ruth Addicott

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