Oxford University Varsity Cross-Channel Relay Swim

Aim

The University of Oxford Open Water Swim Team will race a team of six from Cambridge across the English Channel in late June.

Between the 28th June - 2nd July, six intrepid swimmers from the University of Oxford will race against a team from Cambridge across the English Channel in a relay from Dover to Calais.

Every two years since 1998, Oxford have competed against Cambridge in this Varsity Channel Relay Swim. This will be the 11th edition of the swim and we are counting on your support to help us get to the start line, and eventually to France! 

One swimmer will be in the water at all times, each of us swimming for an hour and rotating around the team until we reach land in France. We will be following a piloted boat for the whole route and those who are not in the water will be cheering avidly from deck! As a six person relay, the crossing typically takes between 8 and 12 hours. Wetsuits are not allowed for the swim, so all we have for protection from the waves (not to mention jellyfish and ships) will be a single swimming costume, a cap, a pair of goggles and a hardy mentality.

We have been training in Queenford Lakes to help us acclimatize to the cold. The water is expected to be around 15 degrees at the time of our swim. For context, typical 'cold' swimming pools are about 27 degrees! Given the extreme and highly unpredictable conditions, the swim provides a great opportunity for each swimmer to test their limits. 

By supporting us, you will be helping us to cover the substantial cost of the pilot boat, as well as registration with the Channel Swimming and Piloting Federation and transport to Dover. Any donation would be greatly appreciated, and as a thank-you, we have set up a number of rewards for generous donations, ranging from a signed postcard from the team to an invitation at a Formal Hall at an Oxford College. 

You will be able to track us during the swim via a GPS tracker. The link for the tracker is: https://track.rs/OxfordUniversity

Thank-you so much for reading our story, and in anticipation for any donations you are able to give. 

Torgie, Lauren, Lara, George, Ben, Patrick and Tori

This project successfully funded on 17th July 2018