Huge congratulations to the amazing endurance swimmer Anna Wardley, who at the weekend became the fourth person to swim around the Isle of Wight.
As readers will know, Anna set off on her epic sea swim on Friday morning from Ryde as part of the Five Island Swim Challenge. For most of the first half of the route, Anna made good time, but hit problems off the coast of Ventnor with the tide turning against her. This resulted in Anna actually swimming around 60 miles instead of 56.
87,500 strokes
Anna’s shore team reported she did an incredible 87,500 strokes of front crawl getting around the Island in 26 hours, 33 minutes and 28 seconds.
Outstanding!
Target of £50,000
Anna only started swimming about six years ago, but was driven to carry out the challenge and raise money and awareness for The Samaritans, Sail Africa and the Ellen MacArthur Trust. Her target was £50,000.
If you can, please consider donating here.
“I have indeed swam round the Isle of Wight”
Yesterday (Sunday) morning Anna told her Facebook followers,
“This time yesterday the tide had just turned after my five hours from hell swimming against the tide off Ventnor, getting swept two miles backwards in the process.
“I was so cold that my teeth were chattering and I was drifting off and being woken by my support team’s whistles as I veered off.
“I kept saying to myself ‘keep going because this time tomorrow it will all be over and you will have swum round the Isle of Wight’.
“I was right, as I’m now toasty warm under my goosedown duvet, still sticky with lanolin, but I have indeed swam round the Isle of Wight”
Well done Anna, we were all rooting for you and so pleased you succeeded in your goal. What a heroine you are.
