Prize Draw Winners Listing

The Prize draw was a great success earning an amazing £1,316 which all goes to Aspire and our Channel Swim Fund.

Thank you everyone for your involvement!!

The winners are as follows:
(Prize - Ticket # - Winner)         

1. Day trip to France for a car and 4 passengers -  00115 - Michaela
2. Blackberry  - 00506 - Mayra Bruno
3. Signed Glenn Johnson Picture - 00408 - Pete & Sonya Wren
4. Saracens Tickets to Wembley & Rugby Book - 00406 - Mary & Denis Gilham
5. Afternoon Tea for two - 00668 - Cala Zimmerman
6. Room Renovator Interior Design Set - 00883 - Debbie Sheldon
7. Room Renovator Interior Design Set - 00410 - Linda Botha
8. Room Renovator Interior Design Set - 00170 - Fina
9. Room Renovator Interior Design Set - 00172 - Vince Pulla
10. Allens of Mayfair Butchery Class (£100 value) - 00992 - Alex Rankin
11. £30 Wagamama Vouchers - 00341 - Sera
12. East India Tea Company Hamper - 00694 - Marie Ortega
13. Lush Gift Set - 00022 - Steve Jeffery
14. Bodyshop gift set (£25) - 00207 -  J Dog
15. Prince Tennis Racquet - 00537 - Anoop
16. 4x Cineworld Cinema Tickets - 00787 - Jonathan Carter
17. Haircut & Blow Dry - 00353 - Payam & Emma 
18. Case of Wine (6 x Red & 6 x White) - 00451- Rachel Macdonald
19. 'Absolute' Vodka Set - 00036 - Matt Bulbrook
20. Caterpillar Stuff (Rucksack, wallet, phone holder) - 00763 - Karen Atkinson
21. Caterpillar Stuff (Rucksack, wallet, phone holder) - 00548 - Ash Dissanyake
22. Zoo trip - 00810 - L Barry 
23. Zoo trip - 00869 - Ali Kilinc
24. Zoo trip - 00678 - Martin Tibble
25. Zoo trip - 00798 - Tanya
26. Zoo trip - 00016 - Tracy Harris
27. Zoo trip - 00045 - Phyllis Han
28. SRLV Mug with a Cous Cous Meal - 00349 - Andrew Jackson  

James & Taz's 2 Hour Quali Swim; 21/08/11

Submitted by Taras

With Adam and Tarkan completing their 2 hour qualifying swims in some style during  the weeks prior,  this weekend it was the turn of Yvette, Rosie, James and myself to complete our 2 hour open water test.

For one reason or another we have struggled to get the entire team together for training sessions the last few attempts (I will admit; on more than one occasion it was due to me!), and this weekend unfortunately was no exception.

Bad news broke early on the Sunday, as we were informed that Yvette had not yet recovered from a shoulder injury and would not be joining us. Best of luck on getting that cleared up Yvette.

Additionally, Rosie had planned her swim for the Saturday rather than Sunday.

 (Incidentally, we haven’t heard from her since, but since the P&O ferries weren’t flying their union jacks at half-mast and there were no floral tributes on the beach we’ll assume she’s OK.)

Our 4 became 2.

But no matter!

Adam and Tarkan had no intention of leaving us unattended with all that water, and stripped down to join us in the murky depths of Dover harbour.

Our 2 became 4!

After a quick coating of lube (a small perk), 10:30 came and the swim adjudicators were yelling at us ‘Full Metal Jacket’ style to get in the water. I didn’t like the look of the water, but I disliked the adjudicator’s wrinkled face far more.

10:30: We got in. The water is uncomfortably cold, but calm. 

(As an aside, and I’m sure I speak on behalf of James too, the fact that the other guys not only made the effort to come down to Dover but were also happy to get in and swim alongside us was a huge boost to morale.)  

11:20: Adam responds to the question “How long?” succinctly: “Nowhere near”.

Feeling OK so far, the sun is out again, and the water has remained calm.

11:30: With another solid hour under his belt Adam calls it a day, and heads back to the shore. The sun has gone in, the wind has picked up slightly.

12:00: After 90 minutes the cold has taken its toll on Tarkan, who calls it a day and heads back to the shore. Both James and I are really feeling the cold now. The water has become choppy and I feel the onset of sea sickness.

12:10: Adopted SRLV member Beth tags with Tarkan and joins James and I for the final push.

I am miserable, sick, tired, and my hands burn from the cold. I am frankly very grumpy. Being presented with renditions of “Wallaby” by the Spice Girls posed a difficult question:

Should I just drown, or swim after Beth and drown that damn wallaby instead?

I opted for the latter and set off in cold pursuit.

Luckily for Beth, just when I was about nowhere near her our 2 hours was up and we could head for the shore.

(On reflection this was probably just as well, the RNLI boats had been circling me for some time…)

Feeling pretty tired, a bit nauseous, covered in Dover-sea-gunk (the contents of my beard after the swim are up for grabs as part of the raffle if anyone is interested), but utterly elated, the qualifying swim was complete.

I genuinely couldn’t have done it without the support of my fellow swimmers. BRAP.

(PS: For your benefit Beth, I’m still calling bulls**t: http://www.universetoday.com/15019/how-many-moons-does-earth-have/)

Dover; 2nd - 3rd July

Submitted by Tarkan

Saturday 2^nd July

Another early start to make the 7:12 high speed train from London St Pancras to Dover Priory for a hard weekend of Channel swimming training. At 09:30 with a 10:00 start the SRLV channel swim team was down to the bare-bare-bones (me on my Jack Jones), with Adam up in Nottingham on a stag party most likely nursing a hangover and Yvette sunning it up somewhere in the Mediterranean I knew the team wouldn’t be at full strength but it was a shock when I bumped into Beth to be informed that team leader Rosie was missing in action again. My thoughts turned to the other lads (Taras & James) in my team who surely wouldn’t let me down but they were cutting it fine with us due to be in the sea in less than 30 minutes. A quick phone call to Taras who, after a few drinks on the Friday night, concluded against trekking down to Dover and instead swimming in Tooting Bec Lido with James. Not quite the same as swimming in the sea but I guess better than nothing. So there I was all alone and breaking the news to Andrew (who was disappointed to say the least). Due to the 2011 Dover Regatta we had to be out of the water by 12:30 at the latest so it was decided the whole charity roughly 25 people (30 people minus the rest of my team) would attempt the 2 hour compulsory swim. So we entered the water (which according to websites I have researched had a water temperature of approximately 14⁰C) which is a vast improvement on Brighton in May which was nearer the 10⁰C mark however doesn’t even compare to the sea temperatures in the following:

• 23⁰C Venice, Italy
• 24⁰C Ibiza, Spain
• 26⁰C Larnaca/Iskele, Cyprus
• 27⁰C Antalya, Turkey
• 28⁰C Nassau, Bahamas
• 29⁰C Male, Maldives
• 31⁰C Key West, Florida, USA
• 32⁰C Dubai, UAE

Unfortunately for us the temperatures of the English Channel will never reach such dizzying heights we will be lucky with water temperatures hitting 18⁰C to 19 ⁰C when we actually do our swim in September.

Anyway back to the task in hand; a 2 hour sea swim which is an extremely demanding physical challenge, one to which I fell short of at 1 hour and 25 mins (the longest stretch I had ever spent in open water at any one time). It started so well with the first 20 mins being bathed in glorious sunshine and clear blue skies but then grey smoggy clouds filled the sky and you could really feel the cold. By about 40 mins I really noticed the cold and started doubting if I would hit the hour mark. I managed to push through but by an hour and 20 mins I began shivering uncontrollably and decided it would be best to make my way out. I then sat on the beach and watched everyone else manage to complete the 2 hour swim and receive their certificate to which I congratulated them. With the bitter taste of disappointment and failure still fresh on my taste buds I was invited by Beth and the rest of team Penguin for a spot of lunch where I decided along with Alice one of the Penguins (who after this year’s relay Channel crossing has already booked a boat for a 2012 solo crossing and I take my hat off to her because I wouldn’t even be able to do it in my wildest dreams) to get back in and do another hour swimming after lunch whilst the majority of other people decided to sunbathe as the sun had decided to make a reappearance. To be honest I don’t blame them if I had just completed a 2 hour swim I would also have decided to top up my tan rather than get back into the cold dirty sea in Dover Harbour. After the hour swim I checked into the Premier Inn to wallow in my self-pity until I was invited down for dinner with team Dolphin who were all very supportive. They all believed that my failure was down to the fact that I had taken to the 2 hour swim on my own rather than with some team mates, as they all believed after an hour they were seriously considering to get out as well however their team mates helped motivate and push them through.

After a not so good night sleep due to frustration of not completing my 2 hour swim I woke up for breakfast and psyched myself up to man-up and succeed in the compulsory swim. With clear blue skies and beaming sunshine surely I couldn’t fail. I entered the water alone and was caught up with by Beth after about 15 mins who swam along with and kept me company. After the 45 minute mark Alice joined us and then subsequently took over from Beth who although she had completed her two hour swim and went back in with me for an hour yesterday decided she would support and push me through to the 2 hour mark. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t cold and wanted to get out again after an hour but with Alice who seemed so nice yesterday turning into a demon who politely informed me the only way I was getting out before the 2 hour mark was if the coast guard was dragging my cold dead body out of the sea and even then she wouldn’t let them take me out until the compulsory 2 hours were up. Finally we made it to the pebbly beach after 2 hours and 12 mins in, I was cold, tired and stumbled out of the water being congratulated by the other charity members. I got my certificate signed by “The Channel General”. 

What I realised over the weekend is that the 2 hour swim is not just a physical challenge but a mental challenge as well. In the spirit of Wimbledon I will use a tennis analogy; on the Saturday I went into the sea as Andy Murray physically capable but not mentally, on the Sunday I was much more of a Nadal /Djokovic physically and mentally capable. I also realised this is a team event and with the team together as a unit we can definitely succeed. On the Friday I was part of a team of 6, Saturday I was the last man standing (with the exception of Adam and Yvette who I am sure would have turned up if it wasn’t for other commitments) and by Sunday I was part of a team of 30.

I want to say a big thank you to the Sharks, Penguins, Marlins and Dolphins who all supported me through the weekend but in particular I want to say big thank you’s to Beth, Alice, Gail and Romey.  Also as this is the last time we see any of the other teams before are crossings I want to wish everyone the best of luck from the whole of the SRLV channel swim team.

Dover; 4th - 5th June

By Tarkan

Saturday 4^th June

Unlike our weekend in Brighton this weekend didn’t start off in true style, with various alarms going off from 5am – 6am across our team members bedrooms to ensure we could wake up and get to Dover in time for a 10am start. When my alarm started blaring in my ear at 6am I thought to myself “What have I got myself into”.

Again we had a “Top Gear”-esque race with me and James getting to St Pancras for the 7:12 hi-speed train to Dover Priory,  Adam meanwhile was taking his premature mid-life crisis petrol guzzling motorbike and Taras heading in the complete opposite direction to his friend’s birthday party in Sheffield. It was no surprise to us when Taras didn’t turn up as he did what we in the team like to say “He pulled a Danny”.

Myself, James and Adam pretty much arrived in Dover at the same time which felt a million miles from civilisation as with no shops/cafes open we had to settle for a cheap out of date sandwich from a local petrol station for breakfast

We were then told by Beth “the bearer of bad news” that team Captain Rosie wasn’t turning up for medical reasons. We were down to the bare bones of the team!

Yvette didn’t disappoint as she arrived in style and fashionably late with her soft top BMW. She had to leave however on the Saturday due to a triathlon on the Sunday (Not a traditional triathlon as most of us would know it, but Yvette’s triathlon consisted 3 disciplines of sleep. Light sleep, REM sleep and you guessed it, heavy sleep!).

On arrival to Dover we were greeted by the sight of the solo swimmers in all different shapes and sizes being greased up by a man with a big smile and a blue latex glove. Alongside him stood Freda Streeter a.k.a “The Channel General” barking orders at everyone. Freda is the mother of Alison Streeter MBE who is our Channel Champion having completed 43 crossings.

We paid our £5 registration fee which came with a health warning of !!! YOU SWIM AT YOUR OWN RISK !!! (great just what we wanted to hear before we get into the dark murky diesel drenched waters of Dover harbour).

Approximately 30 people from the Aspire charity got in and started swimming with our required yellow caps (apart from James in a green cap). From the shore of the pebbly beach it must have looked like a big bath tub full of yellow bath ducks bobbing around helplessly. The water started off nice and calm (still freezing about 12 Celsius) and we got into a good rhythm gliding through the sea like a knife cutting through warm butter. We were making good progress until Poseidon the ancient Greek God of the sea decided to set us a challenge and began sending wave after wave of extremely salty sea water crashing down on us. This was too much for me to bear as the sea sickness kicked in I turned brighter green than James swimming cap and began feeding the fish with the remains of the petrol station chicken mayo sandwich from my stomach. Time for me to make an early exit.

I got out after 50 mins as the rest of the team managed the whole hour. Beth asked the Channel General what she advised for sea sickness to which she received a swift response of “stay out of the sea”. Off we went to boots to get ear plugs and sea sickness tablets.

An hour later and we were back in for the second swim, overdosed with tablets and with ear plugs in (which pretty much fell out of my ear with the first wave that crashed into my face), we set off in the choppy waters and all managed to stay in for the next full hour. As the fish had already eaten there was no need for them to be fed again and the tablets seemed to have done the trick (although I was feeling quite queasy again).

According to Daybreak, Saturday was the hottest day of the year so far and although the sun was beaming 29 swimmers from the Aspire charity were shivering and getting hot drinks to warm up, but not the beast that is Adam he heard the ice cream van pull up and he was straight in there with a magnum.

The rest of the day was spent waiting for Premier Inn to pull their finger out and give us lunch which we ordered over half hour ago. With some food in our belly’s we were advised by one of the Premier Inn staff the best place to watch the England game was a dive called “Funky Monkey” which according to reviews is Dover’s No 1 Night spot. Can’t complain to much it had a big screen to watch England’s 2:2 draw with Switzerland and a pool table where James thrashed us all. It was a bit difficult for us all to leave, not due to how nice it was inside compared to the outside, but due to the fact that you stuck to the floor from all the spilt drinks. Classy establishment.

 

Back to the Premier Inn for our 3 course meal with again typically bad service as we were shortly becoming accustomed too and a night cap at the bar. Due to my sea sickness I decided to not drink too much alcohol and despite the beer pressure from James and Adam I was out drunk by Beth who usually gets pissed on half a bottle of Evian.

Sunday 5^th June

Early rise and down to Breakfast for some more bad service with a side of fear as the weather had taken a turn for the worse. The sun filled blue sky had been replaced over night by dark grey smog, the wind had picked up and the air temperature had dropped not ideal conditions for swimming.

We were set for a 75 minute swim. It was difficult just to enter the sea due its extreme choppiness. We managed about an hour before myself and James had begun to develop severe shivering whilst swimming, which is obviously not a good sign.

Adam continued for a while longer until he got bored of swimming solo and joined us on the beach where our frozen toes were numb and heavy.

We waited around a while for to warm up and there was another 45 minutes swim planned however we made a team decision to sit that one out and get an early start on our return journeys home.

You will be glad to hear that we weren’t the only ones to leave after the first swim with only 2 idiots (I mean people) from our deciding to get back in for another gruelling 45 mins. By which time we were on our way home and almost back to civilisation.

Brighton; 6th - 8th May

First and foremost, prior to departure on the Friday afternoon, the team said a fond farewell to Danny who can no longer continue with his duties and thanked him for all his hard work and contributions; he will be missed.

Friday 6^th May

The weekend began in true style at 5.31 as the “Top Gear”-esque race began. In typical fashion, upon arrival at Victoria Station whilst waiting for their next leg of public transport [train], 3 of the 6 team members (myself, Tarkan & Yvette) found the closest watering hole available and began as they intended to go on, with a beer. In the mean time, Taras [Taz] and James were travelling by “The Clarkson” [car]. The first to arrive at our final destination would earn bragging rights for the weekend.

However, with a drink already down, it appeared that the affects of alcohol were already evident with the first of two, later to be deemed lightweights, Yvette.

Yvette managed to activate her on-board ‘saffie’ sat-nav and locate a store stocking only what she classified as South African treats. But if you ask me, Biltong, Flings and Beacon easter egg bars can hardly be classified as such! Nevertheless, Yvette knows how to get more for your money. An ‘under the influence’ lean over the counter knocked over a box of chocolate eggs and dropping to the floor, the attendant offered them to her for free!  What a discount.

The train departed at 19:04 and after 10-15 minutes, Tarkan made the first drinking error and ‘broke the seal’. However, it was a more than eventful trip down the carriages, and alcohol had taken its second prisoner as it was revealed upon Tarkan’s return that he had taken a fall in the cubicle. Let’s hope he fell backwards, or maybe forwards would be better; who knows!? A school-boy error nevertheless.

With Taz’s GPS indicating an estimated arrival time of 8.25pm, and our arrival at Brighton train station around 8pm, it left us just enough time (thanks to Google maps) to walk to our B&B in the estimated 20mins. However, we thought we’d play our hail mary and secured the win thanks to our public transport trump card, the taxi! Victory was ours.

With a huge smile towards Taz and James upon their arrival at the B&B, they disposed of their bags, and we awaited the final member of our team to arrive, Rosie. Our wait was short, and we immediately head to the pub.

Beer, Cider, Sambuca, Jaeger bombs, and a barrel of laughs later, it was soon mentioned by Taz that we should take a dip in the sea before the others. This would “not only introduce us to the cold open water before everyone else, but being it 3am, it would also give us a taste of what it will be like to swim in the dark!”; So a drunken stagger to the sea for some early acclimatisation soon became a reality as we ventured to the shore.

Only the photos can really justify the events thereafter, the rest of the night/morning is pretty much a blur!

I woke up with cut-up knees and shins, which I can only assume was from the ‘sandy beach’.

We do however remember the following sentences:

“I need a PUK code!!!” (Thank you Rosie) & “My knees are locked!!” (Thank you Tarkan)

Saturday 7^th May
My alarm went off at 07.30 and we all stumbled down to breakfast hoping to put some grub down us as we missed dinner the night before (explaining quite a bit).

We exercised a walk similar of snail’s pace down the coastline for our 10.30 meet with Aspire and the other teams to discuss the day’s agenda.

After waiting 3hrs in a gym reception area with temperatures similar to that of a sauna, the other teams had finally finished their pool based training and it was our turn. This training focused on techniques required for successful open water swimming. After a swift 16-length warm-up, Taz could take part no more as the night before caught up on him and he excused himself from the pool for a visit to his porcelain throne.

After the pool work, there was an hour to kill before we were on the beach and preparing for our initial acclimatisation to 10°C waters. This first swim really was just to become accustomed to the temperatures.

We stepped in and walked deeper and deeper with what can only be explained as stabbing pains to our feet and legs being the parts submerged. Obviously, submerging the groin area was an achievement in itself!! However, we battled on against the cold and slowly started acclimatising. After 20minutes, I could begin to feel my fingers ceasing and thankfully we got the sign to get back to shore.

Getting out and recovering from the cold is almost as important as the cold water swimming. We were advised that there is a three minute grace period between exiting the water, and the signs and effects of hyperthermia becoming major concerns. 

In these three minutes, whilst we are mentally battling to keep control of our bodies, stumbling over the pebbles and back to our gear, we needed to get dry and keep our core temperatures as warm as possible as quick as possible.

Everyone reacts differently, and I seem to be the lucky one as the cold does not seem to affect me anyway near as much as the others. I recommend asking one of them how they felt when they got out of the water, but it didn’t look comfortable.

After the group had warmed up, we were free to do as we pleased for the rest of the evening and I, Taz & James decided to take a long mile walk to re-ignite our childhood memories of the Brighton Pier and a game of crazy golf (which Taras won).

After a short trip to the end of the pier we headed back and picked up some of the local cuisine (Fish & Chips) and eventually got to our beds for some much needed shut-eye.

Sunday 8^th May
Another bright and early start as we all met down at breakfast, feeling a lot fresher than the day before. Weather forecasted as thundery showers, we were not looking forward to our plans.

A 9.30 meet on the shore for our first of two swims and the skies seemed to be holding out.
After the previous days shock introduction to 10°C seas, we were all a little more hesitant to get back in. Not only this, but we’d be in the water for 35mins rather than 20 this time around. Nevertheless, we battled on and through the cold and swam and swam and swam.

There were a couple of nervy moments when feeling something stick to an arm, leg or shoulder, which certainly got the heart racing. I was about to shout “JELLYFISH!!!!”  before I noticed that it was just seaweed. <huge sigh of relief>

I can only explain the feeling of swimming in these waters as being blind, and a mouth full of salt! You can’t see the end of your outstretched arm whilst swimming, with the swell obscuring your view of your swimming direction, ‘spotting’ became difficult. On top of this, a quick breath over the shoulder often became a mouth full of sea water as the waves tried breaking on us.

The call eventually came through and we headed back to the shore to get our gear on and head inside for a 90 minute recovery so to warm our core temperatures back up before heading back out into the cold waters.

At this point, I don’t think Taz, Tarkan, James & Yvette could think of nothing worse than getting back in as they tried dealing with the cold as best they could. I’m not afraid to say, but there were definite man love moments where I hugged Taz using my body heat to warm him up! (I don’t think he got the wrong idea?)

The 90minute break came around quick, and we were soon heading back out to the cold weather where the storm seemed to be holding off.  The objective of the second swim was to force ourselves to accept that we had to get back in.

When actually attempting the Channel in September, we will all most likely swim twice, possibly three times for some of us, so this mental barrier of re-submerging ourselves had to be accomplished. So again, we ventured in to the murky waters for another 25 minutes.

Finally, we got ushered out of the sea, and headed to the showers. After peeling the murky conditions off us, we got changed, and all headed home, with the taste of salt water to remain in our mouths for hours yet.

Cold Water Training - Brockwell Lido; 20/04/2011

Submitted by Danny

After walking through the mean streets of Brixton, armed with only swimming hats and goggles for protection, we arrived at the lido in Brockwell Park. Taras arrived fashionably late after an arduous day of auditing in what he described as a “greenhousey” environment.

Changing into our swimming attire in preparation for 15/16 degree water temperatures for some odd reason was a very slow process; however not as slow as the descent into the pool!

Adam was protected by a thick layer of man hair and so entered the water with ease. Tarkan ‘The Machine’ being made of metal doesn’t feel the cold and merely dived in the deep end and started swimming, although he was a little rusty! Rosie was all ready and waiting in the pool leaving just Yvette, Taras and I to battle the elements. Yvette probably coped most admirably having head under water in 2 stages: up to waist, above waist within 3 minutes (rounding down.) Taras and I struggled slightly more between us going through roughly 20 stages and 20 minutes. I have to at this point sincerely thank the 9 year old boy who mockingly advised me “it gets better when you’re head is underwater,” as without those wise words and subsequent spontaneous loss of all ego I’m not sure if I would have made it in.

Once we were all under, the actually swimming became a luxury as we were relieved to get our muscles moving, however we all had to stop briefly every few lengths to catch our breath as we experienced the cold for the first time. At the end of a 45minute session (20 minutes of that adjusting) our bodies all reacted slightly differently to the cold. Some couldn’t feel their toes, some had back aches but we all felt dizzy as we came out the pool which can only be likened to being drunk. Once we had stumbled to the changing rooms we swapped the bitter cold for the bitter beer as is usual procedure!

Easter Egg'stravaganza! ; 18th - 21st April 2011

Submitted by Tarkan

Back in February after all the tax returns had been submitted (well, almost all of them) a member of the tax team, although I still had work to do (contrary to popular belief that the tax team sit with there feet up for 11 months of the year and only work in January) I managed to squeeze some time in and come up with a simple yet brilliant fundraising ideas, which was to feel a jar full of mini Easter eggs and charge people a pound to guess with the closest winning all the Easter eggs.

I thought if we contacted chocolate companies they would be generous and donate a free pack here and there, which would lead us to filling a giant jar and help us with raising extra funds for the charity. However it appears that the chocolate companies are too driven by profits and making the next generation of British children clinically obese to help with our worthy cause.  One company (I wont mention any names but I am sure you will be able to guess with a little thought) wrote back saying they only work with charities that help seahorses were therefore unable to help people in the UK with spinal injuries. Anyway now that I have ranted and let my frustration out, back to the task in hand. The weekend before Easter Deniz and I went shopping for mini chocolate eggs and a jar big enough to hold them. We purchased approximately 2.4kg worth of chocolate eggs (minus a few handfuls that Deniz and I ate :-D). We then decorated the jar to look like the Easter bunny (check out the picture on the right).

After Deniz and I had counted the eggs in a top secret location in London we began selling the idea to friends and family and by Sunday night had managed to raise enough money to recover our initial costs and actually started raising money for charity.

On Monday Adam started flogging the idea at work, then it was my turn on Tuesday and Danny’s on Wednesday. On Thursday, Danny & I decided to try and double team everyone with the hard sale. As the only team member that knew the actual amount in the jar the person with the closest guess at the end of each day changed more often than the British weather. On deadline day, 5mins before the results were to be announced, Deniz had one final sweep of the office as nobody still had the correct answer. Up steps Mr Andrew Wheeler with a last gasp entry just as the results were to be announced with a guess of 453 making him one out from the total of 454, stealing the eggs from under the nose of Muiz with now the second closest guess of 456.

Congratulations to Andrew. See picture on the right of Andrew holding the eggs like he just won the Copa del Rey (thank god Sergio Ramos didn’t win otherwise we would have been picking up the eggs off the floor). See next picture on the right where Andrew seems to be slightly over excited at the prospect of winning the eggs (get a room). 

There were side bets going on to see how many eggs Andrew would be able to eat in one sitting before he was sick , however rumour has it he wasn’t sick as he warmed up with 4 KING size Easter eggs and washed the mini eggs down with a glass of pure melted chocolate!

Thanks to everyone who got involved and helped us raise £136 for charity. Our total so far is over £4000, we have almost guaranteed 3 team members seats on the boat.

Look out for future fundraising events coming to an office near you!!!

Day 5; Oasis Sports Centre, Nr Tottenham Court Road (01/04/11)

Submitted by Tarkan

A bit of team news to start off with; we have had a recent change to the SRLV Channel Swim Team starting line up. We bid farewell to Jagdeep Kooner who unfortunately had to drop out due to other commitments and we wish him well.  However we are happy to welcome on board Yvette “Ariel” Du Preez who recently joint us as a reserve and planned to sunbathe on the boat all the way to France with a bottle of Champagne without dipping her feet in. Unfortunately for Yvette she will have to hold off on the champagne until she helps us cross the cold and murky waters of the English Channel. Yvette just a little reminder no wetsuits for this swim, sorry L

After my  recent interview with the press for the local Enfield Independent , it appeared my story had blown up from Enfield to the Turkish community in London (http://www.londragazete.com/haber_detay.asp?haberID=8083) and then to global heights with an article in an actual Cypriot paper (http://www.kibrisgazetesi.com/print.php?news=114614)  however I was brought back crashing down to earth with the less glamourous side of Channel swimming with a training session with the rest of the team at the Oasis Sports Centre.  I say the rest of the team however both Taras and Danny flopped the training session with better offers well actually Danny had a better offer which I am sure involved lots of alcohol and pretty women but poor old Taras was working at a clients and was unable to attend.

Finally the Jubilee line was working and Rosie made it to our group training session with an injured finger from a game of basketball but soldiered on to put myself, Adam and James through the paces. We also had drill sergeant Yvette standing on the sidelines barking orders at us of “Less chat and more swim”. Yvette decided not to participate as she had a major training session planned for early Saturday morning but came to bond with the team (basically she fancied a drink at the pub). Due to the recent change in the clocks, we were now officially in British Summer Time and for once the British weather didn’t disappoint; we were bathed in glorious sunshine which meant the pubs after swimming were rammed to breaking point, however thanks to Rosie we managed to find a hidden little gem of a pub just off Leicester square. We discussed team tactics for raising sponsorship and Rosie gave us the gruesome details of what was planned for us at the upcoming Brighton Trip (I am sure I speak for everyone when I say we cant wait to jump into the freezing sea). And I actually managed to only stay for one like I planned (I guess the sun must have got to my head).

Other team News:-

Yvette had a monster session in the pool on Saturday morning whilst James turned up late for his 5km run. He had set himself an ambitious target of 19 minutes and 30 seconds to beat one of his work colleagues, however he just fell short with a time of approximately 21 mins. I am sure he will do it next time which he plans to do in a couple of weeks, good luck mate and make sure you get there on time this time.

I entered the swimathon 5km individual challenge (200 lengths) and set myself a time of 1 hour and 30 mins which I managed to just beat with an exact time of 1 hour and 29 minutes and 24 seconds.

Rosie’s finger is on the mend and she is now back in full training

Adam is racking up the sponsorship monies through his personal and work contacts. A big thanks to him and everyone who has recently sponsored us, we are close approaching the £3000 mark.

Taras is still overworked and underpaid

Danny is still suffering from a hangover.

The next entry will be after our first cold water swim, when we tackle the Brockwell Park Lido on 20^th April. 

Hot off the Press

Tarkan's made it into the newspapers!!

http://www.enfieldindependent.co.uk/news/localnews/8922855.Channel_swimmer_in_bid_for_charity/

Cake Sale; 28/02/2011

Submitted by Danny. (Photo's as always, to the right)

After a long weekend of baking night and day I arrived in work Monday morning delighted to see the others had made similar efforts with their cake baking. 

- Hayley’s array of cupcakes made the most vivid of rainbow’s look black and white.

- Deniz’s (I mean Tarkan and Deniz’s) efforts could have supplied a bakery for 3 weeks complete with doughnut muffins, whoopee pies & carrot cakes. 

- Taras proved quite the crafty baker whipping up some delicious lemon butterfly cakes.

- Adam chocolate chipped in with cookies, butterfly cakes and his Nan’s homemade Victoria sponge!

I was obviously bread to bake and my buns went down a treat, providing the most shop-like of 

chocolate cupcakes and muffins.

After setting up in reception downstairs we very reasonably priced up our goods ready to sell to the generous workers in our building. Other than the position of our cake stall other measures were of course in place to ensure no one could avoid the wrath of ‘pressure charity cakes’.

These included mass emails and posters in both lifts and so unless you had pre-planned and brought your lunch in, there was no avoiding us. 

With these SAS tactics in place the produce went like hotcakes and soon we had made loads of dough (My thanks go to Laurence for that one), in fact by 2.00 pm they had all scone. 

There was however one complaint: that there weren’t enough tarts on sale but the muff-in more than made up for it.

Apologies to all for cheesy puns! Thanks to all who bought our cakes - £200 was eventually raised.

Day 4; Oasis Sports Centre, Nr Tottenham Court Road (28/02/11)

Submitted by Tarkan (Photo's as always, to the right)

Pay day had finally arrived and as Danny has explained with his entry we spent all lunch time flogging homemade cakes (apart from the Baker Boy Brand Danny managed to buy in the morning) in order to help both raise awareness of our upcoming Channel Swim and some funds to go towards our £10,000 target (If your reading this please feel free to check our progress and please give generously to our cause :

(http://www.justgiving.com/srlvchannelswim2011)

Well after a hard day at work, selling cakes at lunch time for charity and trying to stay awake in our Money Laundering training course, when the time on the computer said 5:30pm I think it was a safe bet to say we were all relieved despite the fact that we had to face a training session at the Oasis Sports Centre outdoor swimming pool whilst the weather conditions outside could only be described as Arctic.

When I said we were all relieved to see the time 5:30pm this wasn’t true for the entire team, as Taras, James and Jagdeep all had to stay at work late to make up for the lack of work they had did during the day (jokes, if any of their managers are reading this I am sure they worked hard all day like they usually do J).

Anyway myself, Danny and Adam left the office after deciding it was best to get changed at the office first (based on the adventures of our last visit to Oasis Sports Centre). On the way Adam received a quick phone call from Rosie with a TFL update that the Jubilee line was up the spout and would therefore be running late. We later received a further TFL update from Rosie that the Jubilee line was in fact inoperative and she would therefore not be able to join us (Thanks for the reliable service TFL). 

When we arrived at the pool we met our newest recruit , Yvette (former Everest Climber, Marathon runner and Tri-athlete). She got us all in the pool not before we were charged down by the screeching lifeguard performing Rafa Benitez style hand signals which even Rafa would have struggled to understand. The signals were a mix between a chimpanzee scratching his head and a cat licking his balls which could only mean we had to have a quick shower before we were allowed to enter the pool (again showers not such a great idea based on our last adventures at this swimming pool).

Anyway, Yvette put us through our paces with an 8 length warm up and various training drills, including the one arm pull, a bit of underwater swimming and some heads up swimming whilst trying to dodge the annoying swimmers in our lane who appear to love swimming on top of each other or literally up each other’s , well, you know.

Jagdeep “The Trooper” Kooner managed to get away on a coffee break from work and joined us in the pool for a while before returning to work to seal some big money deals for his company. (Note to everyone wasting chargeable time reading this learn from Jags “Money never sleeps” now finish reading this quick, give us a little or big donation depending on how generous you’re feeling and then get back to work). With James missing, the responsibility was left to Yvette to say time to get down to the pub at the same time as a gust of wind blew in our ears hissing advice of “only have a quick one”. 

We left Danny and Jags in the pool to get a few more laps in whilst us 3 left to go get ready for the pub. Danny came out of the swimming pool complaining of getting something in his eyes, based on the type of people who use the swimming pool I didn’t want to ask to many questions as I was scared of the possible answers but my advice to Danny “The Length” Fletcher is invest in a pair of goggles quickly. 

Down to the pub where we got to know Yvette better and explain the situation of our future training weekends, by the way have we booked our accommodation yet or are we gonna be pitching up tents on the beach like the troops did in Normandy (and like we plan to do come September)?!?!?!?!?!? 

Adam made the error of getting the first round in and one pint just not being enough to quench my thirst after such a long training session and ignoring the voice of reason nagging in the back of my head (the missus) I decided to get another round in. Perhaps training sessions and a group drink up is better suited to Fridays.

So, Adam  . . . . . .  when’s the next team training session down the pub, I MEAN DOWN THE SWIMMING POOL?

Day 3; Oasis Sports Centre, Nr. Tottenham Court Road (04/02/11)

by Tarkan (Photo's to the right, as always)

5:30pm Friday evening, time to clock off and head down to the pub for some after work drinks with the regular work alcoholics Pete and Alex, but not for the Super Six; myself, Adam, Taras, James, Danny and Jags. We had other ideas, well actually it was Adam “The Muscle” Stanley’s bright idea to have a monthly team training session!  (By the way someone needs to have a word with him about Friday evening training sessions and eating into valuable drinking time.)

Due to a injury to Jags, the Super Six became the Famous Five, all to meet at Oasis Sports Centre. So four of us set off  towards  Oasis to meet our fifth man, Danny, now to be known as  “The Flop” Fletcher, who was no where to be seen, and not responding to calls, texts, or morse code! So much for the Famous Five, we were now the Fantastic Four.

Also no signs of Rosie, which we realised en route to the pool that none of us actually had her number to get in contact with!  We were down to the bare bones of the team (myself, Taras, James & Adam). We entered the swimming pool changing room which could only be described as a scene out of the YMCA by village people; but what else would you expect from a swimming pool located on the outskirts of Soho! We shouldn't have really been surprised!

There we were . . .  four cowboy potential channel swimmers, running from the warm changing rooms into a cold outdoor swimming pool. (Apparently the temperature of this was 26 degrees Celsius . . . . but I have my doubts as there was also a sign which said pool temperature is currently under investigation!). No time to mess about, we got straight down to some hard core swimming training, doing lap after lap with the occasional break and dodging the other swimmers in our way.  An uneventful endurance based session. However, after about an hour, James had the brilliant idea of a shower and then a pint (pint = brilliant, shower = not so brilliant). Anyway, long story short we got out of the changing rooms sharpish looking for a local pub to have a quick drink but our idea of one quick pint turned into four long pints.

We then left to go on our separate ways to sleep off the effects of the alcohol safe in the knowledge of any good work  in the swimming pool was totally undone in the pub!  Will we ever learn, I guess we will have to wait and see what happens at next months training session.

Lets see if everyone turns up next time!


Adam: Thanks to Deniz for the photo of Tarkan post workout and beers! Tired were you Tarkan? :-D

About the Challenge

Submitted by Adam

We are aiming to complete a 6-man relay swim across the channel. Swimming in temperatures of approximately 15 degrees, through currents, tides, and open to the elements, this is no simple, easy feat.

The first completed solo Channel swim was on the 24th August 1875 by M Webb, however the first attempted swim was 3 years prior to this when J Johnson swam for just over an hour, before giving up! 

The English Channel, in a straight line at it's narrowest point is 21 miles / 34km. But because the tide will push us up and down the Channel in an 'S' curve, the overall swim could be up to double this distance.

The tides of the Channel are strong and change direction approximately every 6 hours, flowing at up to 4 nautical miles per hour. 

Think of the English Channel as a river between two humps of land. Approximately every 6 hours, the tide changes it's direction by 180 degrees and flows back to where it came from. We will be swimming across this tide, being carried up the 'river' for the first 6 hours, and pulled back down it the next, hence the 'S' curve swim.

Also critical to the swim is the fact that the landing spot in France is a point, where landing is accomplished by climbing up rocks whilst getting bombarded by waves. If this is missed, then a further swim of at least a couple more hours is required until we roll up the sandy beach on either side of the point.

The average swim takes between 10 to 20 hours.

No wet-suits are to be worn, only one hat, one costume, goggles, earplugs and grease (or Vaseline to prevent chaffing) are allowed for a successful Channel swim.

We will need to be aware of various hazards, such as Jellyfish, Hypothermia,  Debris, Seasickness (for when we are on the boat recovering!), mother nature herself, oh, and the numerous ferries and super tankers passing through. 

Every day over 400 boats pass through and across the two separate shipping lanes. All boats are frequently alerted over radio whenever there are swimmers in the water, but sometimes it gets very close!

We will depart from Dover, with one team member on shore ,1, and the rest on board an escort boat. Swimmer 1 shall then swim for approximately an hour, before a second member, 2, will get in the water with swimmer 1, and swim past swimmer 1 resuming the course. This way, there is not a single point of the Channel in the whole challenge that  was not swam. Only when swimmer 2 passes 1, can 1 then get back in the escort boat.

This is then repeated with swimmer 3 taking swimmer 2's place after a further hour, and so on and so forth. The total change-over should not take more than 5 minutes.

That pretty much sums it up!! How mad are we!?