About me
I'm an amateur open water swimmer and pool swimmer aspiring to swim the channel in September 2015. Supported by Markes INTERNATIONAL, Tewkesbury School, Devon & Cornwall Wild Swimmers, Devonport Royal SA, Tewkesbury SC and Tewkesbury Triathlon Club. Currently studying a BSc in Chemistry at Plymouth university. My home town is Tewkesbury, where I still have strong links with the clubs I'm a part of. This blog will keep you updated on my training, milestones acheived in the lead up to the channel and the big swim itself when it takes place.
The swim
Swimming the English Channel is often compared to climbing Everest due to the endurance, stamina, difficulty and unpredictability of the swim.
The English Channel as a result of it's nature and environment, encompasses many challenges from the weather, temperature, tides, hypothermia, sea-sickness to the rapidly changing local environment - conditions are known to change extremely quickly.
This, together with the English channel being the busiest shipping channel in the world and without any landmarks to speak of, really does make it the ultimate long distance swimming challenge
My swim is booked for the 5th-11th of September 2015 as Number 1 to go.
My support team on the boat:
My Dad
John - Coaches me at Devonport Royal SA and has enabled me to come leaps and bounds in my swimming
Denise (Sargent major) - Who I swim with at Devonport Royal SA
Harriet - best friend, who I swim with in the sea and has swam the channel
Dave (Grave Danger) - good family friend, great inspiration and has swam the channel
The English Channel as a result of it's nature and environment, encompasses many challenges from the weather, temperature, tides, hypothermia, sea-sickness to the rapidly changing local environment - conditions are known to change extremely quickly.
This, together with the English channel being the busiest shipping channel in the world and without any landmarks to speak of, really does make it the ultimate long distance swimming challenge
My swim is booked for the 5th-11th of September 2015 as Number 1 to go.
My support team on the boat:
My Dad
John - Coaches me at Devonport Royal SA and has enabled me to come leaps and bounds in my swimming
Denise (Sargent major) - Who I swim with at Devonport Royal SA
Harriet - best friend, who I swim with in the sea and has swam the channel
Dave (Grave Danger) - good family friend, great inspiration and has swam the channel
Supporting
Supported by
Markes have very generously agreed to help fund my channel swim with £750.00. This was made possible by my Tutor at Plymouth university Prof Steve Rowland and Alun Cole from Markes.
My old secondary school after I left kindly donated a cheque for £100 for my sporting endeavours, including my channel swim.
After being race director for Tewkesbury Triathlon Club for 1 year, they kindly donated £100 to show their support for my channel swim and my efforts for the club.
also swimming the channel
Other swimmers I train with doing the channel and their blogs;
Pauline - http://www.justgiving.com/user/25209404
Maretta
Kate - https://www.justgiving.com/Kate-Robarts1
Nik
Darren - http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=ColetteDefoe
Pauline - http://www.justgiving.com/user/25209404
Maretta
Kate - https://www.justgiving.com/Kate-Robarts1
Nik
Darren - http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=ColetteDefoe