Beginner’s Guides

How to swim the English Channel

Jean-Christophe Burvingt, deputy director of the
French coast guard, would like to put an end to swimming the English
Channel. Check out our guide on how to complete the 21-mile swim before
it’s banned.

THE FIRST PERSON to swim across the Strait of Dover without the aid
of a flotation device was Captain Matthew Webb, who did it in 21 hours
and 45 minutes in 1875. Since then, many more people have repeated his
feat. One swimmer, Kevin Murphy, has completed the crossing 34 times.

According to the BBC,
500 vessels make their way through the English Channel every day,
making it potentially risky for the swimmers. Burvingt worries that a
swimmer will cause a collision or be killed by an oncoming vessel.

Image by Neil O’Halloran

If you want to swim the Channel, its important to understand how
challenging it will be. You will be swimming 21 miles in cold water,
with a strong tidal current that can push you over twice that distance.

The Channel is best attempted during the
handful of days in the summer when the currents are weak and the
temperature high. The water is about 60 degrees Fahrenheit in the
summer, but The Channel Swimmer’s Association,
the most widely-accepted record-keeping and certifying agency of the
swim, does not allow wetsuits. You are allowed a bathing suit, goggles,
and a layer of grease.

There are actually three organizations in total that certify crossings of the English Channel: the CSA, the Channel Swimmng and Piloting Federation, and The Channel Crossing Association, which ratifies “unorthodox” crossings.

Image by Beige Alert

Contact your certifying agency of choice for information on their
rules and membership, and book a support boat for the trip as soon as
you can. Right now, pilots are booking up to three years in advance.
The CSA and CSP&F keep lists of registered pilots, which do not go
cheap but provide an invaluable service. Support boats will keep your
course, steer around obstacles (from ships to jellyfish), give you food
and water, and rescue you if you run into trouble.

While you’re waiting, train. The CSA requires a medical clearance and
a certification that you have successfully completed a six-hour swim in
water no warmer than 60 degrees. Figure out what food you’ll need
during training so your support boat can provide you with the best
nutrition possible. Make sure to arrange to have your attempt judged and
certified as well.

The Channel swim is one of the toughest in the world: fewer people
have swum the English Channel than have climbed Everest. If you do
successfully complete it, the only thing to do is start training to swim
the round trip.

Posted In

Beginner’s Guides

Destinations

Dover, GB

This is a step by step guide towards swimming the English Channel with the Channel Swimming Association Ltd.

Read our website thoroughly before booking your swim.

1.
Book your CSA Registered Pilot as early as possible, preferably in the
year preceding your proposed swim date, to get the best tides and
optimum window. Note that our pilots are currently taking bookings for 3
years ahead.

2. Purchase an Information & Registration Pack
where you will also receive your swim number. The packs are released
around the July period the year before your swim so can be purchased
then to obtain your swim number. However, if you wish to buy one earlier
you are able to view all your forms and information regarding your
future swim. It does entitle you to a half price pack the following year
when you do swim. For relays only one information pack is necessary and
it is the responsibility of the team leader to make sure that all
members read it.

3. Join the Association as an Associate Member.
(Full membership is possible in subsequent years). The member fees are
included in the relay fees.

4. Register your swim and pay the
Association fees to the Channel Swimming Association Secretary as soon
as possible but before the 30^th April. Solo swim fees will be approximately £400, this includes administration fee, observer fee and Association membership.

Relay
team Managers are requested to submit ALL the teams registration forms
at the same time please and not in a succession of packages.

5. Relays get the lowest fees by registering before the 1^st April.

6. Try to train in cool/cold water (56-60°F) when ever possible.

7.
Solo swimmers: Complete your 6 hour swim in cold water, 60°F or less
and get it verified. Post verified certificates to our swim secretary
Susan.
Relay swimmers: Complete your 2 hour swim in cold water and
get it verified for each team member. Post verified certificates to our
swim secretary.
Address: The Administrative Secretary, Channel Swimming Association Ltd, PO Box 10580, Nottingham, NG5 0JH UK

All swims should be completed within 12 months of your swim (some grace given).

8. Arrange for your medical between January and March in the year you intend to swim.

9. Arrange your accommodation.

10. Advise the Secretary and the Swimmer Liaison Officer of your arrival and contact numbers.

11.
Remember that there is only one Channel Swimming Association and that
we are the only organisation with 90 years of experience of helping
Channel swimmers achieve their dreams.

12. All successful swims are recorded in the Association Handbook, price £15 (UK) and £17.50 (worldwide).

13. If you have any questions or concerns we probably have International Representatives in your country or possibly even your area and you are encouraged to make contact with them.

Valuable information can be found throughout our website. For any enquiries, please contact our Swim Secretary

Prof. Ulrich Haevecker - With Great Sadness
Fri 2 Mar 2018

David Frantzeskou- With Great Sadness
Tue 30 Jan 2018

Clarrie Pickering - With Great Sadness
Wed 1 Nov 2017

Guiding Light Charts
Fancy a chart of your swim lighting the way?

Guiding Light Charts tailor-make the ultimate momento for the ultimate achievement.

https://www.channelswimmingassociation.com/buy/info-pack

CSA Information and Registration Pack

CSA Information pack 2018

If you have booked a pilot for a 2018 swim, please purchase a CSA
information pack using the form below to receive your swim number and
registration forms. This also includes a hard copy of the CSA handbook,
window sticker and one complimentary swim hat. You may also purchase a
pack for your own interest.

Our current prices including postage are as follows:

UK: £35

International: £39

South America: £46

Please ensure you’re planning to swim with an approved CSA pilot. All information pack orders are non-refundable.

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Your country

Your order includes 1 swim hat. Do you wish to purchase additional hats?

Swim floats are recommended for safety during training

Did you buy a pack last year?
Enter your exact swim number (CSA2017/…), to get your new pack at half price**

**For returning solo swimmers only

 

Our terms and refund policy can be found here

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http://www.kingofthechannel.com/

Welcome

• 
• 

Welcome to the Channel Swimming Association’s “King of the Channel®” website.

The title “King of the Channel®” is the registered Trademark of the Channel Swimming Association.

The accolade “King of the Channel®” is awarded by the Channel
Swimming Association to the person who has swum the English Channel the
most times, as verified and ratified by the Channel Swimming
Association.

To date only 8 swimmers over the 135 years of our Channel swimming
history have been accredited with the title “King of the Channel®”. It
is an incredible thought but more astronauts have walked on the moon.

Edward Temme 1934-1951

First successful person to swim England to France

Dr William Edward Barnie 1951-1960

The first person to complete 3 crossings

 

Dr William Edward Barnie 1951-1960

The first person to complete 3 crossings

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Mervyn Sharp 1974-1975

The first person to complete 7 crossings

Desmond Renford MBE 1975-1979 and 1980

The first person to complete 8-16 and 18 crossings

Michael Read MBE 1979-1980 and 1980-2000 and 2004-Present

Kevin Murphy 2000-2004

The first person to complete 32 crossings