Five British Swimmers to Attempt Marathon Swim From Farallon Islands to Golden Gate Bridge

SAN FRANCISCO – In May 2015, 5 amateur British swimmers, proudly supported by Swimzi, will head to San Francisco, CA, to attempt to become the first non-American relay team to successfully swim 30 perilous miles from the Farallon Islands to the Golden Gate Bridge.

The swim, often described as “like the English Channel, but much colder, rougher and with sharks,” has only been completed a handful of times, and is generally considered one of the most dangerous cold water marathon swims on earth.

The Farallon Islands are an eerie and forgotten rocky outpost off mainland San Francisco, having previously been used as a nuclear dumping site in the 1950s and 1960s. The focal point for Susan Casey’s book ‘Devil’s Teeth,’ they sit in the heart of the Red Triangle – a notorious hunting ground for Great White Sharks that is responsible for 11% of global shark attacks.

The relay swim will be officially observed and supported by the Farallon Islands Swimming Federation and dictated by ‘Channel swimming rules’ (only trunks, goggles and neoprene hats allowed). With water temperatures sitting between 8c-10c and possible swells up to 5 meters high, each swimmer be required to spend one hour in the water at a time, rotating in order until the swim is complete.

A very real risk of hypothermia, constant fear of shark attack and extreme sleep deprivation make up the physical and mental challenges necessary to overcome in a swim that should take between twenty and thirty hours to complete.

Achieving a British record is only part of what’s driving the Great British Farallon Swim team. The real motivation is to raise funds and awareness for one of the UKs most important charities, the RNLI, the charity that saves lives at sea.

Though one of the lesser known swim marathons, the sea conditions encountered at the Farallon’s are similar to those experienced every day by the brave volunteers of the RNLI, who provide a 24 hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coastline. RNLI International also serves to educate people in developing countries of the dangers posed by water.

British explorer Levison Wood (Walking the Nile, Channel 4) said “The GB Fallaron swim is set to be an epic test of endurance and a real challenge for the team in the very best spirit of British adventure. And for such a worthwhile cause.”

The GB Farallon Swim aims to demonstrate just how much training and mental preparation is needed in order to even attempt a swim in such conditions. As the RNLI teaches, the team must respect the water in order to survive.

To find out more about the swim or to make a donation, please visit:

https://great-british-farallon-swim-in-aid-of-the-rnli.everydayhero.com/uk/the-team

http://greatbritishfarallonswim.com/

https://www.facebook.com/greatbritishfarallonswim

#GBFarallonSwim

@FarallonSwim

To contact us, please email: ajrwilde@me.com, jawgunn@yahoo.co.uk

The Swimmers: John Gunn, Ali Wilde, Ed Morgan, Joel Richards, Mary Stokes.

About the RNLI:

The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 235 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and has more than 200 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824 its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 140,000 lives.

About Swimzi:

Swimzi exists to provide the world of aquatic sports with high-quality, practical leisurewear that doesn’t compromise on comfort or style. Since the launch of the original Swimzi (onesie), its product line has since expanded to include comfy hoodies, laid-back sweats, and a broad range of personalised poolside team shirts and shorts. Our athletes remain our biggest inspiration, which is why we pride ourselves on working closely with swimmers to ensure that each item delivers on both practicality and style. This is why, in support of the GB Farallon Swim team, Swimzi will be launching a new line of bespoke open water products, which will become available to the public in the near future.

The above article is a press release submitted to Swimming World. To reach our audience, contact us at newsmaster@swimmingworl d .com.

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Ted Erikson

9 years ago

Good luck with that!!

Andrew Catchpole

9 years ago

Ben Freeman