Cheyanne Boddicker Lives Her Dream Across the English Channel

DES MOINES, Iowa. April 4. CHEYANNE Boddicker lives over 1,000 miles from the closest ocean. But the Iowa native always dreamed of crossing the English Channel. The English Channel is geographically far away, but her dreams always burned brightly in her heart.

Finding locations where she could train in the state known as America's Heartland was not easy. And finding like-minded swimmers was even more difficult in a state better known for its chief agricultural export of corn and the sport of wrestling.

But after long, cold workouts with John Muenzer and crew, Cheyanne finally crossed the Channel. It was not easy to train when few eyes were on her. When it was cold and the season was young, she debated using a wetsuit. But she stuck to her goal and her support team never let her dreams die.

Last year, she successfully crossed the Channel in 15 hours 39 minutes as the first person from the state of Iowa to do so. This week, the 27-year-old development officer at the University of Iowa Foundation was honored by the Iowa House of Representatives with a resolution for her courage, determination, and dedication.

Her effort was also a charity swim effort to benefit the Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Iowa because of her first-hand knowledge of people close to her who had suffered from cancer.

Courtesy Open Water Source

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