The Challenge, Captivation, Cruelty Of The Open Water
Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California. There were all kinds of people swimming over 24 hours in the English Channel recently.
Stephanie Hopson finished her 24 hour 31 minute crossing on August 14th-15th.
Deirdre Ward finished her two-way English Channel crossing in 27 hours 52 minutes on August 23rd-24th.
But Mother Nature was most cruel to Mickey Helps who successfully finished a one-way solo crossing. After a short break, the 50-year-old former water polo player headed back to England from France on a two-way attempt. But unlike Hopson and Ward, he did not ultimately make the 24-hour Club.
After starting at Shakespeare Beach at 11:18 am on Wednesday, August 24th, Helps reached the French shore in 19 hours 9 minutes on his charity swim. He tried gallantly to swim back and tantalizingly reached within 1,200 yards of the English coast. But after 41 hours 44 minutes, he passed out and was pulled from the water on The 3 Swims of Europe (Strait of Gibraltar + English Channel + Dardanelles).
For more background of Helps’ 3 Swims, visit here.
Copyright © 2016 by World Open Water Swimming Association
Southern California native, born 1962, is the creator of the WOWSA Awards, Oceans Seven, Openwaterpedia, Citrus Corps, World Open Water Swimming Association, Daily News of Open Water Swimming, Global Open Water Swimming Conference. He is Chief Executive Officer of KAATSU Global and KAATSU Research Institute. Inductee in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Swimmer, Class of 2001) and Ice Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Contributor - Media, Class of 2019), recipient of the International Swimming Hall of Fame's Poseidon Award (2016), International Swimming Hall of Fame's Irving Davids-Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award (2010), USA Swimming's Glen S. Hummer Award (2007, 2010) and Harvard University's John B. Imrie Award (1984). Served on the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee and as Technical Delegate with the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games, and 9-time USA Swimming coaching staff. Note: WOWSA only recommends products or services used or recommended by the community. WOWSA does not receive compensation for links or products mentioned on this site or in blog posts. If it does, it will be indicated clearly on that specific post. See WOWSA's privacy policy for more information.
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