Li Ling Yung-Hryniewiecki is ready to make open water history. Swimming to raise money for the Splash Foundation, she will aim to become the first Singaporean woman to swim the English Channel.
Her goal is to raise $32,000 to aid the Splash Foundation’s expansion plans.
“Through my involvement with Splash, I’ve seen first-hand the journey from complete beginner to confident swimmer,” said Yung-Hryniewiecki. “Swimming truly is available to everyone. I hope to show that stepping outside your comfort zone, and even taking part in endurance events, is not reserved for the elite.”
Splash provides free learn-to-swim lessons and water safety skills to low-income communities in Hong Kong.
Yung-Hryniewiecki’s fundraising goal will support coaching for 100 domestic workers from Singapore’s under-resourced communities as Splash extends its reach outside of Hong Kong.
To prepare for the English Channel, Yung-Hryniewiecki has spent the last few winters training in Hong Kong’s chilly offshore waters while focusing on adding vital body fat necessary for maintaining an optimal core temperature to keep hypothermia at bay.
Splash Co-founder Simon Holliday hailed the impact Yung-Hryniewiecki has made on students to date:
“An estimated 4.4 billion people, mostly women, can’t swim,” said Holliday. “As a long-time Splash volunteer coach, Li Ling has given so much of her time to help others. The funds raised will enable us to provide a vital life skill that can profoundly impact the physical and mental well being of students in Singapore. All at Splash are incredibly proud of Li Ling and can’t wait to cheer her on!”
Swimming the Channel, which connects England to France, is demanding and considered the ultimate long-distance challenge. More individuals have climbed Everest than have swum across the Channel. Since the first successful passage in 1875, the average solo crossing time is 13 hours, 33 minutes, and 54 seconds. Yung-Hryniewiecki aims to be Singapore’s first woman to swim across the Channel’s jellyfish-laden landscape.
Taking fluctuating weather conditions into account, registered swimmers are allotted a date window by the Channel Swimming Association (CSA), for which they must be available to start their swim when the weather is deemed suitable. Yung-Hryniewiecki’s window is August 31 to September 9. She will be closely followed by a CSA-registered pilot and boat, which will provide safety checks, nutrition, and encouragement when needed. However, no physical contact is permitted during the swim. Furthermore, the pilot will help Yung-Hryniewiecki safely navigate one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes, with around 600 tankers and 200 ferries passing through daily.
Donations to the Splash Foundation can be made at https://go.sparkraise.com/li-