Swimming through the English Channel

The sea swimming group The Waves started their relay swim through the English Channel last night at 4:00 AM. The plan was to go 24 hours ago but the weather turned so the swim was postponed for a day. The Waves were prepared for setbacks because in a venture like this it is really the weather and winds that dictate the possible swimming window, so they gave themselves seven days to start the challenge. They have used the time well for the past days and now know Dover quite a bit better and have been practicing as well.

Want to use the high tide

"We want to start the swim in a high tide, because then the current is with us and that is why we are leaving in the middle of the night," says Elsa Björk Valsdóttir, one of the Waves.

On Sunday the group used the day to get a good final training swim but yesterday they had a good resting day planned, with good sleep, a little walk and good nutrition. Valsdóttir says the group is still not trying to turn the clock around, even though the swim is scheduled at 4:00 AM.

Vigorous training

Valsdóttir says the training has been going well. "We have been training for this challenge for two years more or less and with more focus after last summer. We swam all the longer swims available at home last year, like Urriðavatn , Sæunnarsund and to Viðey ," and adds that the training has been long and hard.

The goal is 18 hours

"We plan to swim through the English Channel in 18 hours, where each swimmer takes three swims. We hope that works out." She says that each swimmer swims for approximately one hour and then gets on board the boat and another one goes into the sea and swims for an hour, and so on until it is time for the first swimmer to go on her second round.

The Waves are going to support the The Icelandic Ostomy Association with their endurance challenge.

The Waves are Elsa Valsdóttir, Sigríður Lárusdóttir, Harpa Leifsdóttir, Jórunn Atladóttir, Guðmunda Elíasdóttir and Bjarnþóra Egilsdóttir.