My Channel Training Musings

My thoughts as I train for the Channel. The highs and the lows. Probably the lows more than the highs, since they tend to a elicit a stronger reaction.

Channel Stories by Other People

English Language Articles

• Sally Goble’s story is a fun read. She describes her road to the Channel as a “short, tubby middle-aged woman, nothing remarkable, not tall or athletic.” Her time: 18 hours and 52 minutes.

• Tom Gregory swam the Channel from France to England (no longer allowed), becoming the youngest to do so at age 11 in 1988. Age regulations were put in place shortly after his swim. Unless the rules change, his record will will stand for the foreseeable future. The minimum age for a solo swim is now 16, 12 for a relay.
  Tom wrote an incredible book that I would recommend to anyone, regardless of interest in the English Channel. It’s a beautiful coming of age story. Time: 11 hours 54 minutes.

• You can tell William Hodgess is no stranger to writing. He provides a beautiful account not just of his swim, but of his mindset in the leadup to the swim, as well as lessons learned. Beautiful photos and video included. Time: 12 hours and 58 minutes.

• Madhu Nagaraja from India writes up his Channel Swim here. After completing the crossing of the English Channel he moved to Canada and also swam across the 41.3km of Lake Ontario.

Dutch Language Articles:

• Ignacio Vaccaro, an Erasmus University alumnus quit his job to train for the Channel. Two fun articles describe what it was life before the start of his attempt and after. Time: 12 hours.

• You need a subscription to Algemeen Dagblad or a free login to the paper to read this fun article about Dutch Hall of Fame swimmer Irene van der Laan. She is a legend with three single and a double crossing of the English Channel to her name, as well as 15 IJsselmeer crossings.

• For his tv-show “De Wereld van Beau”, Dutch presenter Beau van Erven Dorens dives into the world of Channel Swimming. In preparation for his own attempt, he crosses the IJsselmeer in 12 hours and 47 minutes. In this blog he details a small part of that swim. 

German Language Articles:

• Anke Höhne swam the Channel in July 2022. (My slot is for July as well). She managed 15 hours and 32 minutes in 16 to 17-degree water.

Useful Information

Channel Preparation

• The Channel Swimming Association (the oldest body to authenticate English Channel swims)
• The Channel Swimming & Piloting Federation (the organisation I will be swimming with)
• How to Select a Channel Pilot
• Channel Swimming Statistics
• When to Swim by Ellis Marine Services

Wildlife

• Identifying UK Jellyfish

Cold Water Swimming and Adaptation

• Hypothermia and the use of space blankets: a literature review (Scientific Article)