Former Ramsey Students Swim The Channel!

Teenagers are celebrating after successfully swimming across the English Channel – and hopefully into the record books.

Ex-Ramsey students Alanah Keeble, 17, James Rulton, 16 and Kai Adams, 16, along with others, swam the 22 miles from England to France in relay.  They completed the challenge in 9 hours and 14 minutes.  Alanah said the swimmers had first gone out in a boat last Wednesday afternoon, but had to turn back before starting, because the sea was too rough.  The challenge started at 3 am on Thursday morning.

Alanah of Sudbury Road, Halstead, said:  “I was seasick before I got into the water and we were swimming in the dark at first.  But I was lucky enough to be swimming as the sun rose.  It was 16°C in the water which was not too bad.  It was lovely really, and everyone felt fine.” 

Alanah went on to say: “We all swam twice, which was quite difficult psychologically as we had not faced that before.  Kai was the last to swim and he got a good current and went really quickly.  When he got on to the rocks, we all cheered and hugged each other.  We could not believe we had actually done it.  He was only able to stay there for ten seconds and then he got back into a boat and went back.  We were really proud of what we have done, but I am aching today.”

The team, who now study at Colchester Sixth Form, hope to get the record for the youngest relay of the year and the fastest mixed relay this year.  They also hope to have raised thousands of pounds for the charity Kidscape which works to stop child abuse and bullying.