Vero Wong Kai In

So, I'm swimming the English Channel....

The English Channel is known in the swimming world as the Mount Everest of swimming. 

But did you know, that you're more likely to know someone who has climbed Mount Everest than someone who has swum the English Channel? 

The English Channel is 34km at its narrowest section between Dover (UK) and Calais (France). 

Because of the strong crosscurrents, I'll end up swimming closer to 40km, and my crossing will most likely look like one of the S-shaped curves in the photo. If you were curious, swimming 34km is the equivalent of swimming 700 laps of a 50-meter pool… In one go. 

The temperature in the Channel is expected to be around 15º celsius and I will not be allowed to wear a wetsuit (for reference a pool usually sits at 25-27º celsius).

I will have a boat and pilot to navigate me across the channel, I’ll have three people onboard as part of my support crew. They’ll help feed me liquids (carb drinks, caffeine, Panadol, flat red bull etc) every 20-30 minutes, they’ll also monitor my alertness, fatigue, and pace. 

Now you may be wondering if I can rest or get out to use the toilet, well the answer to both of those is no. Once I start swimming, I am not allowed to touch the boat, meaning that if I need to go in the ocean, well, I need to go in the ocean. While I can rest by floating on my back, the currents are so strong that they can pull me off course in a matter of seconds. Therefore, my best bet is to just keep swimming. 

The window for my crossing is from the 16-22 June 2025 and there is every chance that I might swim through the night, through jellyfish, through the cold, and of course across the busiest shipping container channel. 

So how long will it take me? Well, it all depends on the conditions, but I'm hoping to swim it 13-16 hours straight! But I'll take whatever time.

Love,

Vero

But what does training for the English Channel look like?

Training for the English Channel is no easy feat. I have been training for over a year, but some swimmers will train for years before ever attempting to cross the Channel. 

I swim 5 days a week (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday). During the week, I swim 1h30-2h before heading to work. I will swim between 3-5km per session. Then on a Saturday I will swim between 3-8hrs. In an average week, I might swim around 25-35km. Which means when Sunday rolls around, I’ve really earned that morning in bed. 

But swimming alone isn’t enough, recovery is also extremely important, I spend about 20minutes stretching everyday and I also make sure I get enough sleep. You may be wondering what time I go to bed if I somehow manage to swim before work, and the answer is that I’m asleep by 9pm and awake at 4:30am most days of the week. 

I know, I know, you’re now starting to think I must be crazy, but that’s why I also have regular appointments with a nutritionist, a physiotherapist, my swim coach, and my psychologist. 

Each person plays a critical role in ensuring that I am not only physically but mentally prepared for the swim. 

For me, the biggest challenge isn’t physical, but mental. You could be the fittest person in the world, but if every part of your body is screaming at you in pain, the only thing that will keep you going is your mind. And this is yet another reason why Mental Health is such an important part of the journey, and why I want to raise money to help others. 

Have a question you’d like me to cover? Please let me know! 

Vero x