Here we are the year of our English Channel Swim 2022. This June Gail and Teresa will be attempting to swim from Dover to Calais in a two person relay, this will consist of an hour on and and an hour off. Relays are attempted all the time across the Channel but a 2 person is quite rare, because the waters are demanding the distance is far, the recovery time is low and its cold!

The English Channel is a unique demanding swim, considered by many to be the ultimate long distance swimming accolade. It isn’t just the distance that’s the challenge, but more, the variable conditions that one is likely to encounter. These may vary from mirror like conditions to wind force 6 and wave heights in excess of 2 metres. The water is cold and all swimmers are strongly advised to acclimatise and habituate to it at least 12 months in advance. This means swimming in open water throughout the year (including Winter) and enduring cold showers where and when possible. There is a very good chance of meeting a range of aquatic life including jellyfish, and even sharks. There is also the clumping hazard of seaweed and plastic with the occasional rogue tree or maybe even sewage! It is the busiest shipping lane in the world with 800 tankers and 200 ferries and other vessels going across daily. The latter are also permitted to dump their poop in the Seperation Zone between English and French waters (flip a coin for that one).

Now why would anyone want to do this? Gail and Teresa met 20 years ago at the University of Gloucestershire where they both became part of the women’s rugby team. Both girls had a passion for sport and fun, neither shy away of a challenge and both girls are willing to give anything a go. The talk of swimming the channel has been going on for at least 10 years, but with both of them having had children in this time there really was no time to train for it until now (even though training is still a logistical nightmare). Finally they made this chat a reality at the end of 2020 by getting a boat booked and securing their place at the end of June 2022.

Obviously it goes without saying that whilst doing this mammoth event the girls are raising money for charity. Bowel Cancer UK. In 2012 the girls lost a very close University friend Claire (Bear) Stinchcombe to bowel cancer, she was aged 30 and had a young child at the time, she was full of life, fun and love. Claire had a huge love for swimming and had herself competed open water. Gail also lost her nearest and dearest friend Natalie to bowel cancer 8 years ago this year, she was also young at the age of 31, Natalie fought a brave fight with cancer and she never gave up, even at the end. It's this kind of attitude that Gail and Teresa will dig deep and find in those dark moments during the swim. Natalies mum Marion has continued her legacy by raising awareness of early symptoms of Bowel Cancer using this charity. Gail and Teresa want to use this time to raise awareness also, and make sure people know where to get help as soon as they can. There may only be 2 people mentioned in this piece but there are many more people who we all know who have been affected by this disease. Between us all we can raise money and awareness to fight it.

Please dig deep and donate to this important cause.