Press Release courtesy of Big Rick Swim Team
A team of six British swimmers are hoping to break the world record for crossing the English Channel FOUR times in a row later this year – a feat no other European team has ever completed.
Having already successfully completed a two-way relay swim of the Channel, Big Rick’s Swim Team, comprised of amateur swimmers, now want to push the boundaries of physical endurance even further by swimming twice the distance of their two-way swim, even with the same number of swimmers in the team as before.
The record for the so called ‘quadruple-swim’ is currently held by a Mexican team at 42 hours and 11 minutes. The only other team to have ever completed the challenge is from Australia.
Stinging jellyfish and strong tides
Team captain Paul Bates, 49, from Birmingham, said he’s extremely excited about the challenge.
“This will be an incredible experience for us all, but it will be physically and mentally exhausting at the same time,” he explained.
“During the swim we’ll encounter stinging jellyfish, strong tides and we’ll have to swim in complete darkness overnight. We’ll also navigate through the busiest shipping lane in the world – 4 times!
“Since the team formed in 2011, the team has raised more than £80,000 for a host of charities. This time around we’ll be raising money for the Royal National Lifeboat Institute as well as British Heart Foundation.”
A tough test
In 2016, the team became the fastest mixed British team ever to complete a two-way crossing of the Channel, but this will be a much tougher test for the tireless swimmers. They will swim for a minimum of 84 miles, but it will be much further than this due to the strong tides.
The swimmers will rotate during the challenge, with each team member swimming for one hour, then resting on a support boat while the rest of the team complete their own one-hour swims. The team will repeat this pattern until they finish.
According to strict rules, wetsuits are not allowed. The team must wear standard swimming trunks, and the female member of the team a standard swimming costume.
Photo courtesy of Big Rick’s Swim Team
If you’d like to donate to Big Rick’s Swim Team, please visit: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/BigRicks4wayEnglishChan
Further info:
Big Rick’s Swim Team, based in the West Midlands, is made up of: Paul Bates, Ryan Coley, Ross Emery, Stuart Fuller, Melanie Holland and Charlie Wheadon.
Useful links:
Big Ricks Blog with photos and videos: http://bigrickchannelswimteam.
Big Rick’s 4-Way English Channel Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/BigRi
Big Ricks on Twitter: @RicksSwim
Channel Swimming and Piloting Federation: http://cspf.co.uk/
Achievements to date:
2017 – Winners of The Brummies for ‘Fundraisers of the Year’
2017 – Runners up in the Birmingham Sports Awards
2017 – Runners up in the Sutton Sports Awards
2016 – Two-way English Channel relay – the second fastest British team of all time for a 2-way, and the fastest mixed British team ever
2013 – Two-way English Channel relay swim completed – and winners of The Garnet Martin Cup and The Stan Maycock Shield for fastest relay crossing of the year
2012 – a two-way English Channel relay attempt aborted in the latter stages due to dangerous tides arriving into Dover. The team still was still the fastest one-way relay crossing of the year and won The Garnet Martin Cup and The Stan Maycock Shield
2011 – One-way English Channel relay completed – and winners of The Garnet Martin Cup for fastest relay crossing of the year as well as The Kellogg’s ASA National Swimtastic’s Fundraising Award, British Heart Foundation Sports Team of the Year and The Stan Maycock Shield.
For queries or further information, please contact Big Rick’s team member Charlie Wheadon
Mobile: 07843377701 or email: [email protected]