A formidable team of six British Olympic swimmers is set to challenge the long-standing English Channel relay record. The current record for the 33 km (20.5 miles) swim from Dover to Cap Gris-Nez, France, stands at six hours and 52 minutes, established by the United States National Swimming Team in 1990.
The British squad includes triple Olympic gold medallist Tom Dean, fellow freestyler Daniel Jervis, open water specialists George Taplin and Tobias Robinson, double Olympic champion Hector Pardoe, and British champion Joshua Gammon. Dean expressed the challenge, stating, "The record's stood for 36 years for a reason, it is really fast, but I think it's about time we took the record back into British hands."
The team plans to make their attempt between 15 and 25 September, with the exact date dependent on weather conditions. The endeavour will also serve as a fundraising effort for the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS).