Ferry Dodgers - Charity Channel Swim 2010

The Challenge - Swimming the English Channel

In September 2010, the Ferry Dodgers undertook one of the most challenging open water swims in the world. We swam in relay across the English Channel, leaving Folkstone and landing somewhere near to Cap Gris Nez in the north of France.

We're all very proud to have completed the challenge and our official time was 13 hours 14 minutes. The team completed the challenge in relay, the order being:

1.Rich Sanders (0310 - 0410), (0910 - 1010), (1510 - 1610)
2.Stu Haile (0410 - 0510), (1010 - 1110), (1610 - 1624)
3.Matt Fletcher (0510 - 0610), (1110 - 1210)
4.Matt Houghton (0610 - 0710), (1210 - 1310)
5.Rich Birks (0710 - 0810), (1310 - 1410)
6.Keith Norris (0810 - 0910), (1410 - 1510)

Each of the team swam for one hour before a strict changeover took place - there was an overtake completed by the starting swimmer and there could be no contact between us. During the hour swim, we were unable to touch the boat and despite fighting off a Jellyfish sting (Stu), we had to stay in the water and keep swimming.

We all had two full hour swims with Rich Sanders as the team captain completing a mammoth third hour to get us closer to France. Stu was the lucky swimmer to reach the rocky coastline of Cap Gris Nez some 14 minutes into his final swim. Unfortunately due to the strict rules of the Channel Swimming Association, our reserve swimmer Eley Haile was unable to get in the water despite her completing as much (some may say more!) training as the rest of the team. We would all like to thank Eley for being as much a team member as the any of the rest of us and she provided constant support and encouragement for the swimmers over the 13 hours, no mean feat with no sleep for 2 days!

For more information, check out http://www.channelswimmingassociation.com/