The English Channel is the body of water separating England and France, and the 33 km (20.5-mile) swim across it is the world's most historically significant and iconic marathon swim. The standards and traditions of Channel swimming inspired the global sport of unassisted Marathon Swimming.

Two organizations have exclusive authority to sanction cross-Channel swims: the Channel Swimming Association (CSA, founded 1927) and the Channel Swimming & Piloting Federation (CS&PF, founded 1999). The English Channel swim forms part of both the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming and the Oceans Seven.

English Channel Records

---

Review This Swim

---

English Channel Swims

---

Reviews

Reviewer: Laura Reineke (March 2024)
Swam in 2023 (Finished)
Overall Experience: ★️★️★️★️★️

Pilot: Eddie Spelling
Fees: NA
Communication ★️★️★️★️★️
Piloting Skill: ★️★️★️★️★️
Cost/Value: ★️★️★️✩️✩️
Comments: "I’ve swum with Eddie in a relay, so already had a connection."

General Comments: "The best day of my life, the hardest, but, the best."

---

Reviewer: Patrik Eveborn (November 2023)
Swam in 2023 (Finished)
Overall Experience: ★️★️★️★️★️

Pilot: High Hopes
Fees: NA
Communication ★️★️★️★️★️
Piloting Skill: ★️★️★️★️★️
Cost/Value: ★️★️★️★️★️
Comments: "I had great communication with High Hopes a year before my swim. Also the closer we got the more communication we had. Both pilots (captains) Simon and Mas, are brilliant! Easy to talk to and really down on earth. They want the best for you as a swimmer. They will do everything in their power to enable you to get the best crossing possible. The boat is clean and plenty of space for the crew. Ive couldnt have asked for anything better. High Hopes is the best! I did notice how the boat really tried to protect me as a swimmer from bigger waves. That made me feel safe and comfortable in the sea."

Association: CS&PF
Fees: NA
Communication ★️★️★️★️★️
Advice & Support: ★️★️★️★️★️
Value: ★️★️★️★️★️
Comments: "CS&PF have been great in communications and also answering questions in a timely manner. They make sure that you dont miss any cut off dates. Also"

General Comments: "To be completely honest, this was my first long distance swim over 15km. I had done my training 90% in lakes and the rest in the baltic sea. I was NOT prepared and the salt level in the english channel sea. I met up with DCT (Dover Channel Training) and got a few good sessions in the swim harbour before my actual swim. This way I learned to close my mouth when it was under the surface. I can higly recommend DCT and their meetups . The experienced swimmers welcome you with open arms and will give you excellent adivices. My swim was a spring tide swim. I was told a year ahead that I would have a hard time in spring tide. BUT, train hard and keep your goal in sight and youll make it. I was aiming for under 15h and made it in 13.5h. Not the fastest, but I made it! The EC swim is something else. The community, the swim, the pilots, Dover and surrounding areas. So happy I decided to do this!"

---

Reviewer: Marc Schregardus (October 2023)
Swam in 2023 (Finished)
Overall Experience: ★️★️★️★️★️

Pilot: Pathfinder - Eric Hartley
Fees: GBP 3,500
Communication ★️★️★️★️★️
Piloting Skill: ★️★️★️★️★️
Cost/Value: ★️★️★️✩️✩️
Comments: "I thought Eric was a great pilot. We met beforehand and we (my support crew) and myself all got on well with him. He was very clear about what was required from our side. He always responded quickly to all my communication in the lead up to the swim (I'm based in Australia)."

General Comments: "I had the perfect day for the swim (calm and warm water), so was very lucky. This also meant that I loved the swim itself - and the time was reasonable (for me) 11h58m"

---

Reviewer: Joelle Beard (August 2023)
Swam in 2015 (Finished)
Overall Experience: ★️★️★️★️★️

Pilot: Reg Brickell
Fees: £4,500
Communication ★️★️★️★️★️
Piloting Skill: ★️★️★️★️★️
Cost/Value: ★️★️★️★️★️
Comments: "Reg and Ray Brickell were fantastic!"

Association: Channel Swimming Association (CSA)
Fees: Approx. £300
Communication ★️★️★️★️★️
Advice & Support: ★️★️★️★️★️
Value: ★️★️★️★️★️
Comments: "Everything about the organization, piloting, and observation of this swim was a fantastic."

General Comments: "My swim was in 2012. It will not let me list 2012 as a year."

---

Reviewer: Jessica Kieras (August 2023)
Swam in 2022 (Finished)
Overall Experience: ★️★️★️★️★️

Pilot: Stuart Gleeson
Fees: 3,300 GBP
Communication ★️★️★️★️★️
Piloting Skill: ★️★️★️★️★️
Cost/Value: ★️★️★️★️★️
Comments: "Stuart is a fantastic communicator, updating me constantly on the weather and meeting up before the swim to go over everything. Level headed and kind, this is a person you can trust with your life and your big EC dreams!"

Association: Channel Swimming Association
Fees: 400 GBP
Communication ★️★️★️★️★️
Advice & Support: ★️★️★️★️★️
Value: ★️★️★️★️★️

---

Reviewer: anonymous+verified (August 2023)
Swam in 2022 (Finished)

Pilot: Paul Foreman
Fees: AUD $6000
Communication ★️★️★️★️★️
Piloting Skill: ★️★️★️★️★️
Cost/Value: ★️★️★️★️✩️
Comments: "They truely cared whether I got across or not. The skipper in the wheel house was always watching me and cheering me on!"

Association: CSPF
Fees: Approx $300
Communication ★️★️★️★️★️
Advice & Support: ★️★️★️★️✩️
Value: ★️★️★️★️✩️
Comments: "The certificate and merchandise to celebrate the completion lacks gravitas for such a monumental swim. First world problem and the only change I would recommend."

---

Reviewer: Sarah Thomas (August 2023)
Swam in 2019 (Finished)

Pilot: Eddie Spelling
Fees: $2500/lap
Communication ★️★️★️★️✩️
Piloting Skill: ★️★️★️★️★️
Cost/Value: ★️★️★️★️★️
Comments: "Eddie is a passionate and skilled pilot. He genuinely cares about a swimmer's success and he and his team are kind and compassionate. He knows the tides like the back of his hand. Anastasia is also a great boat- plenty of room for crew and dry spaces in case it rains."

Association: CS&PF
Fees: 720 GBP
Communication ★️★️★️★️✩️
Advice & Support: ★️★️★️✩️✩️
Value: ★️★️★️★️✩️

---