English Channel Swim Success

After two years of dedicated training, both physically and mentally, our swimmers achieved an incredible feat – not one, but two successful English Channel relay crossings, a Churcher’s first.

The journey began with cold training sessions that left swimmers shivering, hands trembling so much they could barely hold a hot drink without spilling it. Over time, they adapted to the cold and unpredictable conditions, building strength and resilience. Fast forward to this summer, and those same swimmers were confidently leaping off the back of a boat in the middle of the Channel, powering through a full hour in open water before warming up and preparing for their next turn.

Following last year’s disappointment, when bad weather prevented the attempt, the team returned with even more determination. The relay consisted of six swimmers, each swimming for one hour in a set order that had to remain the same for the entire crossing. Changeovers happened exactly on the hour, and swimmers were not allowed to touch the boat during their turn. Both of our school teams completed their challenge aboard Gallivant, expertly skippered by Mike Oram and supported by his crew, who plotted the safest and fastest route. An official observer was also present to ensure every rule was followed and to record each stage of the crossing. It’s worth noting that no two crossings can be compared, as there are so many changing variables.

The successful swimmers also raised money for local charity Maddy’s Mark. 

A report on each team's swim is below, and here is an interview by Petersfield's Shine Radio with one of the swim leaders, and Head of Art at Churcher's, Tim Strange:

Team One’s Midnight Start

As their window for the crossing grew closer, so too did the excitement and nerves. The call finally came the day before: would they like to attempt the crossing on Tuesday 30th July at 11:20 pm? The answer was an eager “yes!” The team gathered in Dover, bags packed, sea-sickness tablets taken, ready for the challenge ahead. Parents waved them off into the darkness as Gallivant set off, heading around to Shakespeare Beach where the first swimmer would begin. Lit with glow sticks, he jumped from the boat, swam to the shore, and waited in the still night for the starting klaxon. At 12:12 am, the horn sounded, and he was off – powering back towards the boat and into the English Channel, guided towards France.

It took a while to settle into a steady rhythm, keeping far enough from the boat so the waves ricocheting off its side didn’t disturb his stroke, yet close enough for the pilot to keep him in sight under the bright beam of the spotlight – not letting him drift into the darkness. With ten minutes left of his hour, swimmer 2 began her preparations: sipping water, fixing her glow sticks, and making her way to the back of the boat and down the steps. As the horn sounded, she jumped into the sea, swimming around the back of swimmer 1 and towards the front of the boat. Before she could begin her swim, she had to wait for swimmer 1 to quickly climb back aboard to safety. This same pattern was repeated by every swimmer during the changeovers, with the boat’s engine turned off each time to allow for a safe, smooth transition.

As swimmer 2 powered on, swimmer 1 was helped by his teammates to change as quickly as possible on the rocking boat, wrapped in towels, handed a hot drink, and already sharing his experience of that first swim from the hull as the rest of the team watched swimmer 2’s progress. With ten minutes left of her hour, it was swimmer 3’s turn to get ready, following the same routine of climbing down the steps and entering the water on the sound of the horn. Despite swimmer 2 being stung multiple times by jellyfish on her face and stomach, she completed a confident swim, handing over to swimmer 3, who set off strongly into the dark waters ahead.

Next up was swimmer 4, who had been feeling slightly seasick but knew she had to prepare herself to enter the water right on the hour. Once she dived in, the sickness faded, and she settled into a consistent stroke, breathing every two strokes towards the boat. The conditions shifted as they progressed further into the Channel, crossing the first shipping lane and swimming side-by-side with towering cargo ships - a surreal reminder of the scale of their challenge. Swimmer 5 followed, swimming his first thirty minutes in complete darkness before the sky began to lighten and he entered the separation zone. Swimmer 6’s stint took the team towards the second shipping lane as the coast of France appeared faintly in the distance.

With the rotation of swimmers beginning for the second time, daylight now on their side, and the French coastline growing clearer, the motivation on board was higher than ever. Each swimmer gave everything they had during their hour in the water. On deck, music played, some team members watched intently, others caught up on sleep, while a few chatted about the swim so far.

On course to land at Cap Gris-Nez - missing this target would mean swimming for longer and potentially having to wait for the tide to turn again - each swimmer dug deep, lengthening their strokes and pulling more water with every effort. The team encountered more jellyfish, with poor swimmer 2 being stung once again, although in daylight she was able to dodge some of them. At one point, the team spotted a seal who had successfully caught a fish. As swimmer 5 jumped in for his second swim, France looked almost within touching distance. His fantastic performance brought swimmer 6 to within 750 metres of the shore, where she battled the last of the tide.

As the boat could go no further, the rest of the team were allowed to join swimmer 6 in the water, keeping her company and ensuring safety - careful not to swim ahead or touch France before her. At last, she clambered onto the rocks and raised her arms in victory, greeted by cheers from the team and staff aboard Gallivant. Team One had successfully reached France in an incredible time of 11 hours and 37 minutes.

Back aboard and changed out of costumes and trunks for the final time, there were hugs all round and plenty of photos taken. As the boat turned and headed back towards England, the team and staff found a spot at the back of the boat for a well-earned sleep, before arriving back in Dover to share their incredible achievement with loved ones waiting on shore.

Team Two’s Long-Awaited Start

The build-up to Team Two’s crossing tested their patience and resolve as much as their swimming. The day before their official window opened, they received a hopeful call: they might be able to go on Friday. But as the hours passed, the weather changed, and the plan was pushed back - first to Saturday, then Sunday, and finally Monday. Nerves began to build, and doubts crept in about whether the conditions would ever line up for them to start their attempt.

At last, luck turned in their favour. On Sunday evening, it was confirmed - as confidently as Channel conditions allow - that they would depart Dover at 8:20 a.m. on Monday morning.

Gathering in the car park under clear blue skies, the team buzzed with excitement and relief. Parents waved them off before racing around the coast to watch the start at Shakespeare Beach. Gallivant, having just returned from a 19-hour solo success, quickly got them aboard within ten minutes of docking. We eased out of the harbour and headed towards the starting point, where the adventure of their English Channel relay would truly begin.

First into the water was Swimmer 1, lit by the bright morning sun as he jumped from the boat and swam to shore to await the starting klaxon. On the beach, he was greeted by parents’ support and loud cheers, a huge boost of encouragement before the challenge ahead. At the sound of the horn, he walked back into the water, swimming towards the boat with long, confident strokes, the clear water beneath him a welcome contrast to the inky darkness Team One had faced. At one point, Swimmer 1 joked to the crew, asking if he was nearly there yet - only to be met with a good-humoured shout from the pilot to “get on and swim!”

Like the routine of the first team, Swimmer 2 got ready with ten minutes to go - taking on fluids, applying suncream, and rubbing on vaseline to prevent saltwater irritation - before moving to the back of the boat. At the horn, he jumped in cleanly, circling around to take Swimmer 1’s place as Swimmer 1 scrambled aboard, wrapped himself in towels, and recounted his opening leg to the others. Swimmer 2 powered on through rolling waves and chilly waters, maintaining a strong, consistent rhythm that kept the boat’s crew smiling.

The third leg saw Swimmer 3 take to the water, focusing on his breathing and maintaining a streamlined stroke as the wind began to pick up. He quickly found his rhythm and made steady progress towards the open shipping lanes, with no mention of the cold - a sign that all the hard work in training had paid off. As he swam, the team were entertained by the sight of dolphins in the distance. Following him was Swimmer 4, who, for the first time, managed to swim an entire hour without speaking. He chose to swim slightly farther from the boat than the others, but with the same consistency and determination. By now, the coastline of England was fading into the distance, replaced by the vast blue of open water.

Swimmer 5 was next, settling in quickly and taking on the challenge of the changing currents as the waves grew larger and the first cargo ships appeared. His steady pace kept the team firmly on track before handing over to Swimmer 6 for the sixth leg. During Swimmer 6’s swim, the boat’s path crossed a sandbank, stirring up even bigger waves that rocked the vessel and made breathing more difficult as Swimmer 6 rose and dipped with the swell. This did nothing to alter his determination, having trained in similarly wavy conditions at Bracklesham during countless sessions.

The atmosphere on the boat was upbeat, with music playing continuously as Swimmer 2 took on DJ duties, and everyone took turns helping the swimmer who had just finished to get ready. Below deck, the smell of bacon rolls drifted through the air as the second rotation of swims was about to begin. The sun was still shining, with not a cloud in sight, as Swimmer 1 jumped in, followed by Swimmer 2 and Swimmer 3, taking the team out of the separation zone and into the second shipping lane. Swimmer 4 pushed through the water as the tide shifted against him, followed by Swimmer 5, who swam brilliantly for an hour for the second time.

As time progressed, the sun began to set, and the next swim would see the light fade. As Swimmer 6 prepared, attaching glow sticks for the first time, a trunk malfunction arose. With only a minute to go, a frantic change was made, and he made it into the water at the sound of the horn, with every swim taking the team closer to France. They narrowly missed Cap Gris-Nez, contending with the biggest tide of the year, which limited the distance they could cover. This meant a little extra swimming, and when Swimmer 1 took on his third swim of the day, he made every stroke count, pushing through every minute of the hour and giving everything he had.

This left Swimmer 2 with what we hoped was the final swim, as the team watched and cheered him on, guiding the boat through the darkness toward Audingham Cove. It was a fabulous swim, but with only 200 meters to go, the boat was forced to stop due to shallow waters, and Swimmer 3 jumped in to keep him company. The crew set up a spotlight to guide the two swimmers to shore, while we watched the glowing dots of their sticks disappear into the distance, unable to see if they had reached it—until an almighty roar from the boys signalled their arrival, and the rest of the team erupted in celebration. Team Two had successfully crossed in a time of 13 hours and 47 minutes.

Celebrations continued on the boat as the boys returned, laughter and cheers filling the air after their gruelling swims. Exhausted but exhilarated, the team began the sleepy journey back to shore, greeted with delight and applause from waiting parents who had followed their progress every step of the way.

The success of Team Two capped off an incredible day, building on the achievements of Team One. But it was not just about completing the crossing - it was the culmination of a two-year journey of training, dedication, and teamwork. The relay across the English Channel stood as a testament to their skill, courage, and camaraderie - an experience that will stay with them forever.