All-women team tackle the English Channel on centenery of first female crossing

One hundred years after Gertrude Ederle became the first woman to swim the English Channel, an all-female relay team is preparing to undertake the crossing

The six-strong team is completing the 21-mile swim to raise funds and awareness for SwimTayka, a charity dedicated to drowning prevention and water safety education.

On 6 August 1926, American competitive swimmer Gertrude Ederle entered the water in France, just after 7am, stepping ashore in England, at 9.39pm.

She became the first woman to cross the Channel and broke the existing men’s record by nearly two hours, finishing in 14 hours and 31 minutes.

Unlike Gertrude ‘Trudy’ Ederle’s France-to-England route, the relay team will swim in the opposite direction, starting from Dover and finishing in France. The team – named the Channel Champions – is one of several relay groups swimming this summer to raise money for SwimTayka.

The swim window for the anniversary team is from August 6-10, when the lineup -comprising Laura Kent, Rachel Porter, Heidi Martin-Barshell, Teresa Oliver, Emily Yates, and Sue Davis – will take it in turns to swim an hour at a time. The swimmers are from Kent, with the exception of Rachel, who lives in Lincoln.

Emily, a clinical specialist with a child bereavement charity, said: “I have actually seen the effects of a tragedy in my work when I supported young people after one of their peers drowned in a sad and terrible accident. So I am fully aware of how essential and beneficial the work of SwimTayka is and I’m proud to support them.” 

For other members of the team, the crossing represents the achievement of long-term goals and a chance to encourage participation.

Sue, a compliance manager, said: “I’m not a natural athlete – far from it. It’s way out of my comfort zone. But this journey has shown me that I can be more, I can be stronger and push myself. Especially with a great team alongside me.  I really hope I can inspire others to realise their own goals – if I can, they can.”

Heidi, a beauty therapist, added: “Swimming as part of the SwimTayka Channel Relay is about proving to myself that ordinary people can achieve extraordinary things with determination, support and teamwork.”

And from Rachel, “I signed up for the Channel relay because I wanted to take on a challenge in my 50th year. I didn’t know what that challenge looked like until Heidi asked me if I fancied joining her and the other ladies in swimming the Channel. Doing it for SwimTayka made it even better knowing we would be raising money for a charity that educates children around the world about water safety.”

The team are thrilled that their swim coincides with the 100^th anniversary of Trudy’s epic crossing, and are fully committed to fundraising for SwimTayka’s drowning prevention programmes, which run internationally and in the UK, offering free swimming lessons and water safety education to children.

Laura, an osteopathist, said: “Swimming on the anniversary is a real privilege and a reminder of what determination and courage can achieve.”

Teresa, a primary school teacher, added: “If Mother Nature smiles our way and we actually swim on the 100th anniversary of Gertrude’s swim it will be an honour and privilege.”

SwimTayka organises English Channel relay crossings every summer. Anyone interested in becoming a Channel swimmer or joining future charity relay teams can find out more information via the website swimtayka.org.

You can track the SwimTayka Centenary Channel swim here: swimtofrance.org/tracker/