Ultra-marathon swimmer Chloë McCardel is expected to leave British shores early Sunday morning (August 16) in her extraordinary quest to break the men’s world record for the number of English Channel crossings.
The Melbourne-raised Sydneysider, who has spent many months in Kent, UK, over the past decade, has already completed 34 crossings of the treacherous stretch of water, including three crossings in the past fortnight.
Now level with the men’s world record, which has stood since July 21, 2006, Chloë should complete her 35th crossing in Cap Gris-Nez, near Calais, tomorrow night weather-permitting. The 34-kilometre crossing between England and France – the world’s busiest shipping lane -is expected to take her around ten hours.
She was recently granted an exemption to leave Australia under current COVID-19 restrictions to attempt the record-breaking swim.
The 35-year-old elite athlete said: “I am so honoured to be setting off knowing that I am doing this for Australia. I’m hoping I can make everyone proud and inspire people back home.
“I’m also sending my thoughts out to everyone impacted by the COVID pandemic, especially those who have been or are currently cooped up in their homes, sometimes in extremely challenging environments, especially those who are experiencing domestic violence.
“Many might think that what I do needs superhuman strength but at one point in my life I was very vulnerable and suffered from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Endurance training has helped me through those challenging periods in my life. I hope my efforts will inspire others – whoever they are and whatever their circumstances – to stay strong and resilient in these difficult times.”
If successful on Sunday, Chloë will move to second on the overall record list, behind retired English swimmer Alison Streeter MBE who has completed the crossing 43 times.
Chloë holds multiple world records for endurance swimming including the longest ever unassisted ocean swim in the Bahamas in 2014 (124.4km).
Chloë McCardel Achievements:
- Became the fourth person and the first and only Australian to complete a triple non-stop crossing of the English Channel in 2015 and the first to do so in 25 years.
- World record holder for the longest unassisted ocean swim in the Bahamas in 2014 (124.4km).
- World record holder for single Channel crossings in a season in 2016 (eight crossings).
- World record holder for single crossings in a week in 2015 (three crossings), just six weeks before swimming the triple non-stop crossing.
- Has crossed the English Channel more than any Australian, after surpassing swimming legend Des Renford’s record of 19 crossings in 2016, a record that had stood since 1980.
- Inducted into the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame in 2016.
- Coached 150 people to swim the English Channel since 2013 as relay and solo swimmers, ranging from 14-year-old school children to corporate executives.
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