Old Harry Rock's to The Needles - Solo / Relay

Experience the most awe-inspiring 24km swim of your LIFETIME!

English Channel Dress Rehearsal

• Physical, logistical and mental dress rehearsal for your future English Channel Solo / Relay (or, to test if you should sign up for one!)
• Swim next to the Channel Queen boat which is an English Channel escort boat (day / night time)
• Swim through a shipping lane (with the safety and protection of swimming next to the Channel Queen boat)
• Cold water training
• Practice your feed technique from a boat LIVE during your Solo / Relay
• Train up your crew for your future Channel Solo / Relay
• Swim tips from, Chloë McCardel, the Queen of the English Channel 
• Video of your technique whilst you are swimming with technique feedback from Chloë
• A great opportunity to practice relay changeovers (relay swimmers)
• PLUS Other feedback from Chloë including stroke rate, pace, distance from boat etc…
• PLUS FREE ENTRY TO 3 - DAY SWIM Camp for solos, click HERE
  

OPTION 1 - Swim as a Single Solo (just you swimming next to the boat)

OPTION 2 - Swim as a Tandem Solo (you and one other solo swimming tandem next to the boat)

OPTION 3 - Swim in a Relay

• Your course will be 23.5km / 14.6 miles in a straight line, although you will swim further due to the tides you will cross, just like in English Channel swimming
  
  
• You will be offered a ‘Window’ of dates to give you the best opportunity for great weather
  
  
• You will be offered a Position in that Window of number 1, 2 or 3 etc… Number 1 is offered the first swim day in that Window, number 2 the second day etc..
  
  
• The water temperature varies over the season from 16C (mid or late June) rising to 20C (late July – August) and then dropping from mid-September down to to 17C usually by mid-October
  
  
• You can wear a wetsuit or ‘skins’ (just bathers) goggles, cap etc…
  
  
• For an additional £250 you can have an observer on your boat and your swim potentially ratified under 'Channel rules' or 'Assisted Swim rules'. 

• Chloë McCardel, the Queen of the English Channel will be on your boat. You will have two skippers and a RIB taking you into shore for the start and guiding you to the finish
  
  
• You will meet the boat in Poole Quay Boathaven Marina Harbour, BH15 1HJ, The Quay, Poole, 2 hours before your expected swim start. You will be returned to Poole Quay Boathaven after the conclusion of your swim. There is paid parking near the marina, many people park in the Thistle Poole Hotel Carpark nearby, Poole BH15 1HD. There are 24/7 toilet and shower facilities at the marina for your use pre/post swim. 
  
  
• You will usually get 12 - 24hrs notice of the expected swim start. Weather forecasts are always more accurate the closer you get to a date. Because the skippers want you to have every chance of success they will look at weather forecasts well in advance of your window starting but will wait until 12 - 24hrs before your swim starting before confirming a swim start day and time so they are making a decision based on the most up-to-date weather forecast
  
  
• If the skippers do not believe the course is swimmable, within your Window, you will be offered a swim at a later date in your booked year 
  
  
• The course will be reversed to starting at The Needles and finsihing at Old Harry Rock's, if there is no suitable conditions to swim during your window
  
  
• Read about the Heard Boat Skipper, Roy Beal, here and the swim organiser, Chloë McCardel, here
  
  
• Read about the Channel Queen boat here

SOLO SWIMMERS Additional Information

• *BONUS FREE CAMP ENTRY for solos only, who sign up to this swim. Entry is valid for one of the '25 or '26 or Cold Water Swim Camps in Dorset (June) VALUED at £497. Read about the camp here
  
  
• Solo swimmers are welcome to have up to 5 guests on board.  All guests must stay on the Channel Queen boat for the whole event. Persons under 16 years need to be accompanied by a responsible adult. 
  
  
• You will need to bring at least one person on board to be your trainer / feeder and hand you liquids and / or solids to keep you hydrated and energised throughout your swim
  
  
• You MUST be minimum 2.5kph pace by the time your window starts. It is important for you to do quality interval training in a pool leading into this swim. The strong tides are unforgiving!
  
  

 RELAY SWIMMERS Additional Information

• You can have up to 6 swimmers in your relay. If you do have 6 swimmers you won't have the ability to bring any other crew / guests
  
  
• You can have a combined maximum of 6 people in your relay and crew /  guest numbers.  All of your crew / guests must stay on the Channel Queen boat for the whole event. Persons under 16 years need to be accompanied by a responsible adult. 
  
  
• You MUST be minimum 2.5kph pace by the time your window starts. It is important for you to do quality interval training in a pool leading into this swim. The strong tides are unforgiving!

Solo / Relay Bookings available

Click here to discuss with Chloë 

What does 'Position' mean?

This means you allocated a Position in a queue of swimmers within a Window of dates. If you were only allocated one exact day for your swim, the weather may not be suitable for that day and you would miss the opportunity to swim. This system gives swimmers more opportunity to get their swims in. 

Number 1 is offered the first swim day in that Window, number 2 the second day etc..

Solo                                                        

Relay

Click here to discuss with Chloë 

Payment Details 

For bookings, First Payment 50% (per person) is due immediately to secure your booking and the remaining 50% (per person) is due 6 weeks before your chosen window. 10% discount applies if paid, in full, upfront.

If you select to have an observer, the observer payment is paid separately 6 weeks before your window starts. All payments are non-refundable or transferable. If the weather isn't suitable for swimming on your booked window you will be offered a swim later in the season, before October 30th.