BPAA President completes Bristol Channel Swim
He might be slightly crazy but on 9th August the Bristol Property Agents Association (BPAA) president, Rob Russell, swam the Bristol Channel unaided!!
Rob completed his solo Bristol Channel Swim, which took him from Cardiff to Clevedon in 5 hours 19 mins which is one of the fastest times ever recorded! As the crow flies it is 11 miles (17.7K) but due to the tides on the day he actually swam 14.5 miles (23.2K)!!
It was an early start to the day as Rob set off at 5.45am (about an hour before high tide) and was guided across the channel by a qualified pilot with support from John Sisman and Julian Barclay. The Bristol Channel is the second highest tidal range in the world, so it is a treacherous stretch of water. He had a feed/drink every half hour along the route but was not allowed to touch the boat or have any assistance, as it needs to be an unaided swim.
It was a huge effort but has all been made worth it as he has raised over £5,000 so far for The Malcolm Gunter Foundation and Children's Hospice South West!!
There is still chance to donate if you haven't yet, and every little counts, no matter how large or small the amount!