English Channel
July 22nd 2020

is the stretch of water that separates England and France, 21 miles at it's closest stretch of the busiest shipping lane in the world. It is an iconic swim, more people have climbed Everest than have swum this channel.  The first man to swim to France was Captain Matthew Webb on 12th August 1875, it took him 21hours & 45 mins.  To imagine the swim, think about walking slowly across a busy motorway.  Swim slots for a 10-day period are booked two years in advance and often there is no swim because of adverse weather/water conditions.  Finally, the tide goes along the Channel, so the swimmer is essentially crossing a river.  It is a river that starts, goes fast, goes slower, then stops every six hours and changes direction.