Five Jersey women completed an English Channel relay crossing earlier this month in just over 13 hours.
The ‘5 with the Tide’ team finished the swim on Sunday 14 June – beating their 15-hour target despite challenging conditions, including cold water, strong tides and busy shipping traffic.
The relay was completed by Lisa Biddlecombe, Karen Le Cornu, Jean Rhodes, Rhiannon Patel and Rachel Sayers.
They were accompanied by skipper Paul Foreman and crew member Jason Parrott aboard Optimist, under the supervision of the Channel Swimming and Piloting Federation.
The group, whose members balance family life and careers alongside their swimming commitments, spent the winter preparing for the challenge through a combination of sea swims around Jersey and pool training sessions.
Preparation was supported by the Jersey Long Distance Swimming Club, as well as family, friends and members of the Island’s wider swimming community.
The ‘5 with the Tide’ team said advice from experienced Channel swimmers helped with everything from selecting a pilot boat to creating a playlist for the crossing.
The swimmers also said support from people tracking their progress around the world helped keep them motivated throughout the relay.
The team said: “It was a tough swim, and there were those who thought our aspirations were overambitious.
“The water is still cold early in the season at 15.2C on the day, the weather is unpredictable and a big spring tide brought a technical challenge to the swim.”
The swimmers reached the French coast after dark, “under the watchful eye of a very large seal”.
Other wildlife sightings also featured during the crossing, with the team encountering a Lion’s Mane jellyfish along the route.
The swimmers added: “[We were] a determined team and with the best advice, good preparation, an amazing pilot boat crew and loads of luck, we did Jersey proud.”
The relay swim is awaiting ratification by the Channel Swimming and Piloting Federation.
