"Why Float through life when you can swim!"

Competitors Profiles

These are some of the people I've met before who are competing in the race this year . I didn’t have pictures of them all so I ‘googled’ them and these are the pictures that came up by their respective names. I believe these are them .Please let me know if not.:-)

Me! - Michael/Mick/Mickey/"Metal Mickey"

Sport has been a key part of my life for a long time. Whether playing, watching or coaching I enjoy sport. Particularly swimming. Last year I swam the English Channel and thought that was going to be my ungraceful exit from major fund raising opportunities .I however met so many inspirational characters during my preparation journey for the Channel that I decided never say never.

 So much gets achieved when people show the spirit to achieve it that I’m hoping ,even if only in a small way ,this swim will help reward the great efforts and brave targets Disability Challenges have put in front of themselves 

Markie ’B’ Bayliss

I’ve Known Mark for a long time and he was part of my Channel swim Boat crew. He however took his responsibilities on that day to include ‘looking on pathetically’ and ‘being ill!’

These were roles I wasn’t aware existed until I fulfilled the same for him on his own successful crossing later in 2007.

A good swimmer who I would put as joint second favourite to win the UK contingent

 Jim Bourcher (Jimbo the shirt)

Met Jimbo in Gozo while we were both preparing for our Channel swims. Jim is an excellent breaststroker and character and I look forward to meeting up again this year.

I think he’s feeling the pressure of competing against me already as he has once against gone off to Gozo to get some early season training in. They’ll be as much as A PINT of Guinness riding on the outcome of this race!

Cliff Golding (Corporal)

Big player in the Channel Swimmers and Piloting Federation and also a successful channel swimmer. He was extremely helpful to myself and other newbie channel aspirants during our channel attempts last year with advise and humour.

Race-wise he is an unknown commodity but suspect he’ll let me know at every opportunity if he finishes ahead of me!

Nick Adams (The Organiser)

Nick is a two way channel swimmer and I would probably put him just ahead of Markie B and Giles as favourite to be the first UK citizen home. Won’t be looking to whined him up as he has had the unenviable task of organising and collecting the money for the UK entrants so deserves a medal for that alone!

Giles Meyers (The Fish)

Another member of the Gozo 07 crew who was successful in his attempt to swim the Channel last year and is probably joint second favourite with Mark B to be top Brit home.

Summary

When seen in the flesh they collectively look like a cast of extras from a fight scene in Lord of the Rings but as you can see they are tough opposition whose aquatic CV’s are probably only matched by flipper !