Jamie Shattock’s Channel Swim 11 July 2011

On the morning of Monday, 11 July at 6 am, I set off from Sapphire beach, Dover to swim the English Channel. After a great start and covering seven miles in under five hours I hit the cross tide , I swam as hard as I could for the next three hours, only to be told by my boat pilot that we had not gone forward, but sideways and that the cross tide had moved us further off course and I wasn’t going to get any further that day. I gave it one more attempt along with my support swimmer, Nick, for another hour but we couldn’t break through the cross tide so I had no option but to abandon the swim.

Since I decided to swim the Channel and take up open water swimming, I have met some great people and swam in such wonderful places from Lake Windermere and Coniston and many places along the Dorset and Devon coasts, most of all though I have raised in excess of £9,000 for the three charities that are very close to my heart and family. I would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you for all your donations, help, support and words of encouragement. The whole experience has been something that I shall always remember.

Build-Up To The Swim

Last August, due to bad weather, having waited nearly two weeks and with two swimmers still in front of him, Jamie was left with no option but to leave his swim until this year. He is now second in position and due to start his swim early on Monday, 11th July.

We will carry on with fundraising which is going very well. Many thanks to all those who have supported Jamie so far.

Jamie has been pool training througout the winter and down to Budleigh Salterton and Weymouth every weekend since Easter in temperatures of 9-10 °C!

Links to access the other two charities' pages are below:

My JustGiving page for Grand Appeal is www.justgiving.com/Jamie-Shattock-Swimming-the-Channel-Grand-Appeal

My JustGiving page for The Lifetime Children's Trust is www.justgiving.com/Jamie-Shattock-Swimming-the-Channel-Lifetime-Childrens-Trust

Four years of training and why Jamie wants to swim the Channel.....

Jamie’s youngest daughter, Georgiana, was born in 2003 with an undiagnosed neuromuscular condition. Georgiana basically spent the first year of her life in hospital. She had a brief few (harrowing) weeks at home during her first summer then spent the next six months in the intensive care unit of the Bristol Children’s Hospital during which time her breathing needs were assessed and she came home a month before her first birthday with a ventilator and the support of Lifetime who supplied regular overnight care and daytime respite. Children’s Hospice South West were also involved in helping prepare for Georgiana’s homecoming and offered respite breaks to the family.

Jamie has always been one for a challenge and, following all the past and present care and treatment Georgiana receives, Jamie really would like to return some of the generosity and help to those who have helped and are still helping the family support Georgiana. This includes three very special charities – Children’s Hospice South West, The Grand Appeal for the Bristol Children’s Hospital and Lifetime Children’s Trust. In 2005 Jamie ran the London Marathon for CHSW and raised £2,500. Then, in 2006, he decided to taken on an even greater challenge and train to swim the English Channel from Shakespeare Beach in Dover to Cap Grisnez in France, a distance of 22 miles. From this he hopes to raise £15,000 (£5,000 for each charity).

Training for “the swim”

Jamie is currently in his fourth season training for this major event which was due to take place during August 2010. This is an “open water” swim which means all he’s allowed to wear is a pair of swimming trunks, a swimming hat and goggles, oh, and a smothering of grease!

Jamie has met two very active open water swimming groups through entering races at Weymouth and Exmouth. They have invited him to join them and this is where he has be doing the majority of his open water training this season spending Saturdays at Weymouth and Sundays at Budleigh Salterton, leading up to his cross-channel swim. The open water swimming training season begins in May and ends in September which means some rather cold swimming conditions to begin with (around 10°C!) and swimmers have to “build-up” their time in the water. In 2008 Jamie achieved his six hour cross channel qualifying swim in Dover Harbour as stipulated by the Cross Channel Swimmers’ Association. He has since done up to 12 hour swims in the sea.

Swimming races

To gain vital open water experience Jamie joined the British Long Distance Swimmers’ Association and has completed the Exmouth Buoy (4miles), The Champion of Champions in Dover (5miles) The Weymouth Open Water Championships (6miles) and Lake Coniston Senior Championships (5miles). In September 2009 he swam Lake Windermere (10miles).

Last year Jamie completed the Fairway Buoy 4.5 mile race on 12 June in 1 hour and 43 minutes (see photos and video) and also the Weymouth 10k race on 03 July (Cathie's birthday!) in 4 hours, 01 minute and 08 seconds. He completed the Fairway Buoy again this year.

Weekly Training

To keep his swimming going during the week Jamie has been doing regular early morning and a couple of evening swims at Aqua Terre Leisure Centre in Midsomer Norton. He has been averaging 14-16,000 metres per week. At weekends since April he has been in the sea at Weymouth and Budleigh Salterton. Jamie has received invaluable advice and help from the team of Exmouth Swimming and Life Saving Society who have trained many successful channel swimmers.

The cost

All this time dedicated to training and races does come at a cost not only to time away from Jamie’s family – his wife Cathie and daughter’s Emily, 9 and Georgiana, 8 – but also financially with race entries, accommodation when entering races with early starts which are a long way from home. The biggest cost is the charter of the pilot and boat to accompany him across the Channel. This plus the channel swimming association and other costs amounts to around £3000.

A big thank you to Jane Clayton & Company, Paulton the Co-op, Paulton and Cathie's cousin Julian's company, DCM, in Bangkok who have kindly donated towards the cost of the boat!
Also thank you to Speedo who have sent Jamie new kit of goggles, swimming cap and trunks.

And finally...

On the day, aboard the Viking Princess, Jamie’s support team will be his wife, Cathie, Barry from Exmouth Swimming & Lifesaving Society and his support swimmer Nick. Also aboard will be the pilot and his brother and an official from the CSA.

This will be a lifetime achievement for Jamie and if, in the process, he can raise this sizeable amount of money for these very special charities so much the better. Jamie is very determined and focused on what lies ahead. It’s all about being mentally and physically prepared and taking that first step into the English Channel knowing that everything possible has been done to make it a successful solo swim.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

So please dig deep and donate now.