What record is BEST trying to break? The youngest ever team of six to swim in relay across the English Channel (a record currently held by a British team from 1968). No child under 12 is permitted to attempt a channel crossing in a relay (and no one under 16 may attempt a solo crossing).
Do swimmers need to come from Bristol? No. We are accepting children from Bristol and the “surrounding area”.
Why is the children’s PRECISE age so important? We need to beat the record, therefore the age of our swimmers is a crucial factor. Swimmers born in April, May, June, July and early August (of 1998) will therefore have more chance of making the team … but those who will be slightly older 12 year olds (in 2010) should NOT be put off from applying since it is the cumulative average age which is important and the composition of the team is likely to consist of a few older 12 year old swimmers who will contribute maturity to the team.
How long will the swimmers have to swim for? Each team member will swim for one hour, then rest for five hours (whilst team mates swim) then swim again for another hour. They are likely to have to swim for two or three separate hours. The entire crossing will take anywhere between about 8 and 24 hours, most likely about 16 hours.
Who will be in the team ? Six 12 year old boys or girls from Bristol and surrounding area who have gone through the selection process.
Will it be really cold in the English Channel ? In August the temperature is likely to be around 15-17 degrees C. Cold is not normally a major problem if swimmers have prepared properly.
Are all applicants already in a swimming club ? Yes, to be of the standard required they are likely to be experienced competitive club swimmers. However they do not need any experience of open water swimming, BEST will provide that training.
Can they wear wetsuits? Not for the actual attempt, no. Just one hat, googles, basic suit and grease. But they WILL be able to use one during training in the colder months and we are delighted to say that all our team will all be wearing blueseventy suits which will keep them warm whilst allowing a great range of movement.
Will swimmers have to come to Bristol for all the training? For some of it yes but not for all of it. Much of the pool distance work will be done within their home clubs or pools local to them. Our coach will issue a training schedule which the swimmer’s home coach may be happy to help with. For specialist training we may require swimmers to come to Bristol pools or Henleaze lake in Bristol, or perhaps to Clevedon sea lake or Middlemoor Lake in Somerset. Whatever the final training schedule, swimmers will certainly need a supportive parent willing to ferry them about the region at weekends, offer lots of encouragement and make hot chocolates !
Is it dangerous ? Any open water swim needs to be taken extremely seriously in terms of health and safety, especially where children are involved. The cold, waves, sea sickness, salt ingestion, exhaustion, jelly fish stings, shipping … all pose potential hazards which will need to be carefully prepared for. The pilot boat will have our team doctor on board who will have the authority to cut short the attempt if he is concerned about a child’s welfare. That said, several 12 year old relay teams have swum the Channel very successfully and without incident before so, despite the obvious challenges, the aim is a realistic one.
Will swimmers need to commit a lot of free time to training? Yes. As Captain Webb the first channel swimmer said “Nothing Great is Easy” and world records never come easy. We will need swimmers total commitment and training will be especially intense in the six months leading up to the swim. Swimmers will also obviously need to be available for the entire week of August 17th, 2010.
Who came up with this idea ? Lewis Clarke, then aged 9, son of Team Manager Sarah Johnson, whilst on holiday in St Ives. It may be his idea but Lewis will have to earn his place like everyone else! Decisions about who is in the team rest with the Head Coach and will be final.
Are all the swimmers members of one swimming club? Yes and no. For their normal pool based competitive swimming and training the children belong to lots of different home clubs in or around Bristol. For the purposes of training for open water and the Channel Swim in particular they have come together as members of Bristol North Swimming Club. We are extremely grateful to Bristol North for all their advice and help.
