What better way to remember a good mate than to do something a bit mad? Well this is my way of remembering my mate Baptist, a one of a kind lad who made me smile, and still does even now. Johnny boy lost his short battle with bowel cancer in 2008 and with it, the world lost an amazing guy.

I never got to say goodbye which is hard to take, because I'd just like one more night out in Leeds with him and the boys, talking football, birds, drinking beer and ending up in the curry house at 3am! I last saw John when he came to watch me at the Salford ITU triathlon in 2007. He made the effort to get up early on a cold Sunday morning in Manchester and watch me slog it out with the rest of the triathletes. So this is the least I can do in your honour mate, a long distance open water swim thats never been attempted before. Lets hope the sharks are veggies!