This special edition of the SwimOut podcast pays tribute to Captain Matthew Webb who, in 1875, made history as the first person to swim the English Channel. Our dramatisation brings his story to life: A village lad who ran away to sea, saw the world and was inspired to make the impossible happen.

The story recounts the many challenges he had to overcome - from shifting tides to jellyfish. It details what kept him going during his gruelling feat of valour, from beef tea to brandy and more importantly, his friends and family onboard the support vessel. His motto “ Nothing great is easy” is testament to his grit, endurance and bravado. Join us on this heroic swim to France, with Captain Webb, The Channel Conqueror.

Find out more: ⁠@swimoutpodcast ⁠or ⁠⁠swimout.net⁠

Vicki facilitates a conversation between experts and swimmers planning to do the swim. Expert Kevin Murphy is acknowledged as one of the world’s greatest open water swimmers. He has 28 solo Channel swims and three doubles to his credit. He has also swum the North Channel three times and is known as King of both the English and North Channels. Also with bags of expertise is Kathy Batts who has completed many relay crossings of the English Channel and a solo, as well as many other swims across the globe. She and Kevin also look after the paperwork for a large number of the Channel swims and lead the The King’s Swimmers which runs swim camps and regular training in Dover. Our aspiring swimmers are Bryony Rowe who swam as child then took up triathlons and now has refound her love of sea swimming, and Christophe Donot who loves to swim and make ceramics and as a French man is keen to swim to France, although London is now very much his home.

Find out more: ⁠@swimoutpodcast ⁠or ⁠⁠swimout.net⁠

⁠@ The King Swimmers⁠

@christophe_ceramics

@Bryony.eve.swims

Vicki explores why so many Indian swimmers come to swim the English Channel. She starts by chatting to Anshuman Jhingran who she met on the beach in Dover in 2025 when he was waiting for his Channel crossing and who now has 6 of the 7 Oceans Severn Swims. Next up we hear from Bula Chowdhury who swam the English Channel twice in 1989 and 1999 making her the 21st Indian swimmer to achieve this feat. Sal Minty-Gravett talks about her work helping Indian swimmers to acclimatise for their cold water swims. Lastly we talk about swimming many Channels with Prabhat Koli and his father and coach Koli Koli. Prabhat was the youngest swimmer to achieve the Oceans Seven challenge in 2023. We also delve into the history and future of Openwater swimming in India.

Find out more: ⁠@swimoutpodcast ⁠or ⁠⁠swimout.net⁠

Link to Podcast is in the Bio

@Anshuman Jhingran

@Bula Chowdhury

@Sal Minty-Gravett

@Prabhat Koli

#swimming

#openwaterswimming

#doverchannelswimming

#iceswimming

#Indianswimmers

#indianlongdistanceswimmers