P&O Cruises is to support 6 Hampshire athletes who will attempt to swim the coastline of the Isle of Wight this summer in aid of Teenage Cancer Trust.
Led by 46-year-old firefighter Peter Locke, the team will aim to complete the 60 mile swim around the Island on Thursday 4th July. The distance is equivalent to approximately 3 times the length of the English Channel or 3,960 lengths of a 25 metre pool but made more exacting by the rip tides and strong currents.
Launching the venture Locke said:
“After a failed swim attempt nine years ago around the Isle of Wight due to tide and boat technical issues I thought it was the right time to re-visit the challenge and raise awareness and money for this very worthy cause.
“We all know someone who has been affected by cancer. My aunt died two years ago and I’ve recently become a father for the first time, so it puts everything into perspective. I have friends and work colleagues who are going through difficult times right now with their loved ones, so it seems a fitting time to try and do something, however small, to help.”
The team will start from Yarmouth at 03:00 and will swim anti-clockwise around the Island.
Locke continued:
“If all goes according to plan it should take us 18 hours. We will each swim for 30 minutes followed by two and a half hours of rest; keeping a strict rotation. We have to keep up the pace of 28 minutes per mile otherwise the tides will turn and we will be unable to finish.”
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Joining Locke in the challenge will be Darren English (46), a keen surfer, skier and rugby captain; 48-year-old swimming instructor Lisa Clark; 44-year old-fitness instructor and ex Great Britain swimmer and tri-athlete Gina Berger; 31-year-old finance director and ex lifeguard Bex Harris and 44-year-old Dave Langridge, a triathlete and multiple Ironman finisher. Dave is also the digital director at P&O Cruises.
Langridge said:
“I have seen the amazing fund-raising from P&O Cruises employees and guests for Teenage Cancer Trust and I was determined to play my part. As a company P&O Cruises has raised over £300,000 so I implore all my friends and family to add to that total by supporting our swim.
“We are aiming to raise £3,000 for Teenage Cancer Trust – so that’s £50 a mile or just 75p per length of a swimming pool. Whilst we are all pretty fit this is a very testing challenge as fewer than a dozen relay teams have ever completed the Isle of Wight coastal swim challenge.”
The team will be skippered by experienced captain Tim Peace, who has calculated the tides and mapped the most effective tidal route. The team’s boat has been donated by Swanwick’s Mendez Marine Ltd in Hamble.
This is not the first time P&O Cruises has supported local challenges. In 2018 the company’s flagship Britannia brought home the Isle of Wight’s Ocean Brothers after their record-breaking Atlantic row. Dr Gregory Bailey, the elder of the 2 brothers, runs the award-winning Royal Hotel in Ventnor.
