Episode 58: Swimming the English Channel solo with Bryony Rowe

This week on the podcast, Emma is joined by endurance swimmer Bryony Rowe who is preparing for one of the toughest challenges in sport, swimming solo across the English Channel.

This summer Bryony will swim from Dover to France, an iconic crossing which often described as the Mount Everest of open water swimming.

With just a 60% success rate, swimming across the Channel is no small feat and more people have summited Everest than have swum the Channel.

Bryony’s swim slot opens on 29 July and coincides with the 100-year anniversary of the first woman to ever swim the English Channel, Gertrude Ederle, on 6 August 1926.

Bryony shares all about her swim, from her motivation, training and nutrition to her biggest fears, covering herself in lanolin (gross!) and what makes the English Channel such an iconic challenge.

She also talks about what it means to her to share the slot with Gertrude Ederle’s anniversary and how she hopes to inspire more women and girls to try open water swimming.

Expect to hear:

• Bryony’s path to attempt the solo Channel swim

• What it takes to get a slot and organise a Channel swim

• Her training and mindset preparation

• The physical, mental and marine life challenges she’s expecting

• How Bryony hopes to honour Gertrude Ederle and get more women swimming

Bryony’s passion for open water swimming is infectious. After listening to Bryony be prepared to dig out your goggles.

Bryony epitomises everything we love about passionate humans, she’s determined, humble and inspiring. We wish her all the best for her Channel swim this summer.

Follow Bryony and keep up to date with her swim on Instagram

She is also fundraising for her swim and hoping to raise £4,000 for the charity Athlete Interactions. Check out her fundraiser.

More about the visuals? Watch the episode on ⁠YouTube⁠ (or scroll down)

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Thanks to Tune Tank for the tunes.