Over the past few weeks, we have been learning more about the challenges involved in organising a swim around the Isle of Wight. There are a lot of different aspects that need to be considered, and they say behind every man there is a great women (or something like that!), and thankfully I have my wife to organise me and the swim, but she can't do it alone! The 'team' is the only way that this challenge has a hope of being successful, and I am really fortunate to have great people that have offered their services. Over the years I have been privileged to have sailed and worked with some incredible people.
Apart from the actual physical aspect of swimming. It is hard to define what is the most important role within the team, but one that stands out is the Navigator. It is approximately 60 miles around the Isle of Wight, and I don't need to add any unnecessary distance.
I am so pleased that (subject to not being seconded back to his real job at the last minute) Brian Thompson has agreed to be the navigator for the duration of the challenge. Brian made it into the history books by becoming the Briton with more multihull sailing miles than any other Briton today. A vastly experienced and successful offshore racer, Brian Thompson has been racing the two and three-hulled speed machines for more than twenty years and has notched up more than twenty-five sailing records, setting him apart from every world class sailor on the grand prix circuit. He currently works on this amazing machine - PhaedoIt may seem at odds that 'The fastest man on the planet' will be on a boat for nearly 24 hours, and only managing a paltry 60 miles, but he knows how to make it count when it matters, and it is a huge boost to me personally having Brian put his name to my project. But more than that having him onboard gives me complete faith that the direction I am swimming in will be the best one, meaning I don't have to worry about it!
I have been asked so many times if I am going to try break the record for swimming around the island, and to be honest just swimming around would have been enough, but my closest friends and family will probably know by now, that my competitive spirit will kick in and if there is a chance of breaking a record, why wouldn't I give it my best shot. After all, I do have a great team to help me make an attempt on Alison Streeter's 21 hour and 2 min record set in 1984.
