Zone3 Victory Swim across the English Channel from Dover to France, will raise money for the Felix Fund, which helps bomb disposal and search workers and their families, offering financial help and welfare support, including assistance with mental health issues. 

Taking place August - September 2019, the swimmers will take on the endurance swim which will  see temperatures vary between 14 and 18 degrees Celsius.

The event is backed by Zone3, Europe’s award-winning triathlon kit brand. 

Trish Mansell is heading up the relay team, which will consist of herself,  Lucas Tompkins, Marcus Bennett, Nigel Robson, Mark Phillips and Laura Phillips

The swimmers include:

Trish Mansell, based in Slimbridge, Gloucester, first experienced open water swimming in 2017 and was soon hooked. Her outdoor swim challenges include a 5k swim for Macmillan in 2017, The Great North Swim 5k in Windermere in 2018 and the Swim Serpentine two mile swim in 2018. This year, as well as the channel she is tackling the Bosphorous Cross Continental Swim from Europe to Asia in July.

Lucas Tompkins is based in Stroud, Gloucester. At just 15-years-old, Lucas is currently ranked 8th in the Southwest for the 1500m in his age group and is the current silver medallist for the 200m fly for Gloucester County. He swam in the Southwest Open Water Championship the last two summers and this year, in the 3000m event, he took the gold medal for the County and only just missed out on making nationals. Lucas trains with Severnside Tritons Swimming Club.

Marcus Bennett from Exeter is an accomplished swimmer, who sea swims all year round and can often be spotted swimming just off the coast of Sidmouth. He has taken part in a number of Open Water competitive events including the River Dart 10k, Lyme Bay and Sidmouth.

Nigel Robson, from Sevenoaks, Kent, swims mainly at Divers Cove in Godstone. After quite a few years of masters swimming, he now only occasionally swims in a pool, preferring the opportunities outdoors. His most memorable swims are a 2-person Zurich Marathon swim in 2008, a 6-person channel relay is 2009, Windermere 1-way in 2013, Dart 10km 3 times so far, Rottnest 5-person relay swim in 2016, the Swim4Life 24 miles in 24 hours, a Solent 2-way, and the Isles of Scilly Challenge in 2017, the OSS Hurley Burley and Great North Swim in 2018, and this year the Bosphorous and Scilly 360. Most of his swims were non-wetsuit - very much the preferred mode of transport!

Mark Phillips from Tonbridge, Kent, formed part of a successful Channel Swim relay team in 2012 along with his daughter Laura. The training for this swim created a passion for outdoor swimming, which complemented his lifelong love of competitive pool swimming (backstroke). Outdoor events have included the Dart 10k, the OSS Hurley Burley 10k, the Scilly Swim 15k challenge and this July the
Bosphorous 6.5k, for which he won a silver medal.

Laura Phillips, daughter of Mark) also had her enjoyment for open water swimming ignited following the relay Channel swim in 2012. Having previously competed at regional level (backstroke), Laura enjoys the challenge of cold-water swimming and recently competed in the Bosphorous 6.5k, coming 4th in age group and second nationally. Being a primary school teacher, she has inspired many children to learn to swim.

Their swim number is CSA2019/265 and will be piloted by Stuart 

Gleeson and his boat Sea Leopard.

The swim is recognised by the Channel Swimming Association (CSA) and supporters will be able to track the progress of them, live through the CSA website.

The swim is just one of various Captain James Wadsworth Challenges, in which participants push themselves to their limits by swimming, cycling and running in endurance events.

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