The challenge - Two teams of 6 women attempting to swim The English Channel as a relay. Each swimmer wearing 1 x swim hat, 1 x standard swimming costume, 1 x pair of clear lens goggles and nothing else!

Where it all started - Back in 2019 a bunch of mixed ability female swimmers sat in a pub discussing what was involved in training for and attempting an English Channel relay swim. It seemed ridiculous at the time when there were several of us who were not even competent at front crawl and most of us had not swum in open water without a wetsuit - EVER!

Fast forward to Summer 2021 and despite the many additional challenges of training through the pandemic and colder than normal spring temperatures, we are well drilled and ready to give it our absolute all.

Along the way we faced closed pools and then open water venues too, even resorting to breaking ice to dip in our local river in an attempt to retain our cold water acclimatisation through the winter. There have been tears on the beach through fear and cold and the sea has churned us up and spat us out on several occasions, but nothing was going to stop this incredible team.

Thanks to our unbreakable team spirit and the support of a brilliant and dedicated coach (We love you Amanda Sharples), we are feeling confident. The setbacks and challenges that we have faced along the way have only brought us closer together and we are feeling privileged to have been part of such a life-enriching journey.

We are dedicating our Channel Swim to those affected by Bowel Cancer. As a team, we have some close and personal connections with the disease. I lost my own Dad to Bowel Cancer at the age of 54.


Bowel Cancer UK is the UK’s leading bowel cancer charity. They fund targeted research, provide expert information and support to patients and their families, educate the public and professionals about the disease and campaign for early diagnosis and access to best treatment and care. There are there to stop people dying of bowel cancer.