Part 1/11:

The Journey to Conquer the English Channel: An Enduring Test of Spirit and Strategy

An Introduction to the Challenge of the English Channel

Swimming the English Channel is often regarded as the Everest of open water swimming—a feat that more people have attempted to summit Everest than have successfully crossed the channel. The journey from England to France covers a straight-line distance of approximately 33 kilometers, but due to powerful currents switching directions every 12 hours, swimmers typically cover a total distance of 50 to 60 kilometers over a swim that lasts anywhere from 10 to 15 hours.