Braving the currents of English waters for a social cause, a four-person team led by Indian Air Force Wing Commander Paramvir Singh will attempt to swim the English Channel in a medley relay from UK to France and back, possibly in the last week of June. Aside from the physical challenge, the group, supported by Rotary International, hopes to promote world peace.
Along with Wg. Cdr. Singh, the members of the group are Air Force Sergeant Gulupilli Narahari, national-level swimmer Srikaanth Viswanathan, and Manav Mehta, who is just 16.
The team, who call themselves the Sea Hawks, have already set records in India-based open water marathons in the past, and this year. In February 2015, they set a world record for longest open water swim by crossing 433 kilometres between Goa-Mumbai in a bid to spread social awareness about the central government’s Beti Bachao Beti Padhao campaign. Later, in October, Wg. Cdr, Singh, along with other army personnel swam 2,800 kms in the river Ganga to spread awareness about Swachh Bharat. Wg, Cdr. Singh was awarded the Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award for Water Adventure in 2014.
In a relay, swimmers attempt the swim using a single style of stroke, whereas in a medley-relay each swimmer is assigned one of the four strokes from breaststroke, backstroke, butterfly and freestyle, and have to swim their turn in that stroke only.
The regulatory body for Channel swimmers, the Channel Swimming Association (CSA) will have their appointed observers on board a pilot boat to observe and ratify the event. The swimmers are expecting to spend 30 hours in total in the water, with each member swimming one hour at a time. Records maintained by CSA show that there haven’t been any successful two way medley-relay attempts across the channel since 1875.
The English Channel is known for its strong currents that change frequently, and the water temperature at this time of the year is less than 10°C degree Celsius. Many swimmers who attempt to take on the challenge fail because of hypothermia, a drop in body temperature because of extended exposure to cold. To add to the difficulty, poisonous blue box jelly fish and sharks have been spotted in the Channel, and it is also a busy shipping route.
To prepare, the team has been swimming regularly in cold water along the coast of the Channel for four- to five-hour stretches, along with other endurance exercises. And they are also keeping a special diet, to add body fat. Wg. Cdr Singh told The Hindu that all the swimmers have gained eight to twelve kilos of weight to prepare for the swim. “In such conditions, it is important to have regular exposure to cold water along with a diet that is high in carbohydrates, proteins and fats. It is also expedient to put on some body fat so it helps in insulation.”
The writer is an intern at The Hindu
