2. Conquering the Channel

England and France are separated by 22 miles of open ocean at the closest point.

Attempts to swim the English Channel have been made by people of all ages and from various walks of life. Each swimmer is drawn to the famous channel for different reasons, but each has the same goal—to conquer the Channel.

The English Channel was first crossed in 1875 by Matthew Webb, an Englishman, who swam breaststroke from Dover, England, to Calais, France. Since then, over 3 700 people have made approximately 4 500 attempts on the Channel. Only 297 people (199 men and 98 women), however, have successfully duplicated Webb's remarkable achievement

Cold water, rough seas, strong currents, heavy winds and jellyfish are among the many reasons why the success rate is so low.

Attempts are usually made between late July and mid-October when the water temperature reaches a tolerable level (57—62 degrees Fahrenheit).

Swimmers and escort crews must wait for periods of calm seas and light winds lasting 10-20 hours.

Much to the frustration of the athletes and their coaches and crews, the weather may only cooperate a few days each year.

Once in the Channel, swimmers are always at the mercy of the elements since temperatures, winds and currents can change hourly. Quite often, luck and good timing play as important a role in a swimmer's success as proper physical training and mental preparation.

As a result of bogus claims of success, the Channel Swimming Association was established to authenticate all crossings. The Association also issues a list of knowledgeable navigators and provides invaluable advice to those intending to attempt the swim. Interested individuals should notify the Association of their plans several months in advance.

Most swimmers attempt to swim between Dover's Shakespeare Beach in England and Cap Griz-Nez, France. Matthew Webb's time of 21 hours and 45 minutes in 1875 has been significantly reduced to 7 hours and 40 minutes—a record set by Penny Lee Dean in 1978. In 1961, Channel swimming entered a new era when Antonio Abertondo from Argentina successfully completed the first double crossing (England-France-England) in 43 hours and 10 minutes. This record now stands at 17 hours and 56 minutes, set by New Zealander Philip Rush in 1985. Remarkably, Cindy Nicholas from Canada has successfully made a double crossing on five separate occasions. After years of trying, Jon Erikson from Chicago made the first and only triple crossing of the Channel in 1981, in 38 hours and 27 minutes.

Channel swimmers come from all ages and with various abilities and backgrounds. Two 12-year-old English school children have completed the Channel on separate occasions. A famous swimming coach, James completed the swim in September of 1979 at the age of 58. Sixty-five-year-old Ashby Taylor and 47-year-old Stella Taylor are the oldest male and female swimmers currently on record. Swimmers with various disabilities (polio, blindness, missing limbs) have also been successful. These athletes, whether they ultimately succeed or fail, are shining examples of the indomitable human spirit.