REBECCA LEWIS - 2010

Rebecca Lewis

I joined the Viking Princess at Dover Harbour and we were soon joined by Rebecca Lewis and her parents, Roger and Katie.
Rebecca was attempting to break the British women record and need two observers to record the event, I was therefore accompanied by R. Brickell. We had accompanied Rebecca last year when she had failed to capture the record and everyone was feeling good about this attempt.
It was a clear sky with a very cold northerly wind as we left Dover harbour and headed towards Shakespeare beach for the start, joking that the Lewis family always seemed to spend their summer holiday on a cold trawler in the middle of the channel, maybe Spain next year.

There was the full swimming flotilla out and we were the last to leave, Rebecca entered the water at 03:26, stop watches checked, and we headed south. Rebecca started at a good pace, 86 Strokes Per Minute, slower than last year, but she was pulling strongly, England soon dwindled behind us with Rebecca luxuriating in the warm English channel whilst the rest of us shivered in the north wind.
No messing at feed time, a quick slurp, a couple of strokes of backstroke to digest and stretch and off again, and at 05:00 we overtook Fred's new boat, Masterpiece, on it's first outing. As we went past I couldn't help but observe that it seemed slower than his old boat.
At 05:30 we entered the South West shipping lane, by now Rebecca's pace had settled at 80 SPM, a pace she maintained for the rest of the swim. The lane was mercifully quiet, just a couple of yachts and the occasional distant cargo ship. Dawn arrived and we could finally see the swell that was rolling down the channel, luckily it caused Rebecca no problems as it was coming from the North East.
At 07:15 we entered the Separation Zone and far behind us we could see a large naval vessel heading west, it was to far away to establish it's nationality but is was unlikely to be English as both of ours are in the middle-east.
A quick burst through the separation zone and at 08:00 Rebecca enters the North East lane, she is swimming well and we are all hopeful of the record. However, no-one actually seems to know what the exact time we are trying to beat is Katie thinks that it is 08:48 but is not certain.
We have been cutting a steady swathe through the other boats and after being the last to start we now lead the pack. We hit the French coastal waters at 10:30 and looking good, the tide has turned now and although Rebecca is making less progress she is still looking good for the record..
At 11:12 we have one hour to go (we think) and when at 11:30 when the escort tender is lowered into the water everyone is checking their watches.
A heart fluttering moment as the tenders crew has difficulty keeping it's engine going, for 10 minutes we are worried but eventually it fired up and stays running.
Now it race against time for the Cape, Rebecca gives her all and struggling through the rocks she leaves the water at 12:01
Has she done it? She has beaten the time we believed to be the record but confirmation is required so I text the CSA requesting the time of the existing record.
It takes a while to get a reply but after half an hour Mike Reed phones the pilot, Reg, to confirm that Rebecca has beaten Wendy Brooks's 1976 record of 08:56 by a staggering 21 minutes !!
Rebecca is now the British Women's record holder with a time of 8 hours and 35 minutes and Is also the 25th fastest person to swim the English Channel.
TOTAL RESPECT

Hey Becky thanks for the champagne.. I know just when, where and with whom I will share it with
Mikee



Music: Only Human, by loopyone73 AKA Paul Edwards
An original piece of music by an original loopyone... http://www.youtube.com/user/loopyone73
thank you Paul
PLEASE CHECK HIM OUT..

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• rebecca lewis
• monelloswim
• loopyone73
• english channel swim
• record swim
• csa
• long distance swimming
• awesome swim
• swimming
• channel swim
• British record
• brickell
• merlot
• yt:quality=high

[bigbeninjax]

Congrats! I hope this remarkable feat made all the papers. Not sure I could even walk for 8 1/2 hours!

[monelloswim]

@bigbeninjax

you don't need to walk for 8.5 mate, surely your mobility scooter has a good battery?

;-}~

[bigbeninjax]

@monelloswim ...only since I put up the solar panel (obviously I live in Florida, not Britain).

[monelloswim]

@bigbeninjax

i don't live in Britian either...

i live in England!!

but.. of course you live in Florida....

it's that time of your life.......

;-}~

[streetspiritlive]

Rebecca is Truly Awesome

she must be part dolphin...

She may not be something you can look up on Google for now..,

they'll catch up eventually!!

Oh mikee, to be a part of this great moment

and to put such perfect music to her movements...

Can we imagine!

Thanks to you n yours we can...

n she beat the Record by 21 minutes!!!

[monelloswim]

@streetspiritlive

hi M

thanks for watching,

hope you are having fun, i am

mikee

;-}~

[vitoorsi1]

Very tempted to put dislike to this video as it was me on Fred's new boat!!! It was the boat's fault that we were going slow - nothing at all to do with my limited swimming ability!!! I finished in 13 hours 20 mins. Big fight against the outgoing tide for the last 5 or 6 miles but worth it in the end.

Absolutely amazing achievement Rebecca. Think that record might stay for a while!

[monello198]

@becks8401

hi becky

glad you enjoyed it..

2 way?

that should be worth two bottles

lol

i'll be there.

maybe see you at the dinner,

mikee

;-}~

[becks8401]

Love this video Mikee. Thank you very much...it's nice to have a memento of the day. Hope to see you again on my next Channel swim (maybe 2 way next time!!). Glad you got the Champers.

Best Wishes.

Becky and Family.

[Gregparkerblues]

Glad for Rebecca : Congratulations. Not sad for Wendy (previous record holder),because she can be proud to have held 'it',for so long.

Good work,mikee.Cheers

[thompsontrix]

Fantastic Swim Beccy - You deserve that Record - and thanks for allowing us to watch the awesome swim Monello. XXX

[saffbrat]

@Rumpep

hi Rummy

so nice to see you back, and so pleased you still watch my little offerings..

thank you so much for your sweet comment

mikee

;-}~

[kibolda19]

Total respect!!!! well dun Becky - Dave Moncrief