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The Boy From Atlantis

Introducing Alfie Horn.  Channel Swimmer. SUSOlogist.

More people have scaled Mount Everest than have successfully swum the English Channel.  Fact.  The Channel is known as the ultimate test of will power, mental strength and physical endurance. 

As the crow flies, the shortest swim distance is about 21 miles. However add to this tides, currents and the fact you can't swim in a straight line and the distance is closer to 25–30 miles. Further challenges include changing conditions from idyllic flat seas to gale force winds; waves of up to 3 metres; water temperatures ranging from 15C to 18C and the fact that part of the swim takes place in the dark.

It's a big challenge, and that is precisely what appeals to young Alfie Horn.  But why?  These are his words :

"My name is Alfie Horn and ever since I can remember I have wanted to swim the English Channel. It all started when I saw a film about a old man who simply went out and swum the channel.  He told no-one, not even his friends.  He did it simply to conquer the challenge, because the challenge was there.  While I was sitting there watching this documentary I was thinking about what a fantastic achievement it would be and I began to look into it straight away. What it would take, what I needed.  I was soon pushed away from my dream when I found out that you had to be sixteen years old to do the solo swim. But the dream didn't go away.

When I was fourteen my dad took on the channel with a group of rowers.  They crossed the channel in a quad and a double boat, and on the day of their crossing I was lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time and got to jump on the support vessel for the row.  I had a front row seat to the huge efforst and excitement around the crossing.  At this point I decided that before I am eighteen I will have swum the English Channel as a solo swimmer, simply because I don’t ever want to reach a time in my life when I haven’t completed it simply because I haven’t bothered to try.

Now I am almost at the age where I can complete the swim I have started to train for it.  I want to complete the swim by the end of the summer of 2012. I know how physically and mentally tough the swim is going to be, but with the correct training, support and motivation I will complete my crossing. 'Dream, Prepare, Succeed.'.  I have dreamed and now I am preparing."

SUSO is proud to be supporting Alfie with some funding for his channel attempt but what SUSO has also been able to do is bring some mentoring and coaching to the channel crossing attempt in the form of UK professional triathlete and established open water talent Mark Threlfall.  More to come on this as the 2 mermen meet up for their training sessions in the coming weeks!

For now, feel free to contact Alfie with sponsorship donations on alfies.horn@btinternet.com (in aid of ACTIONAID and WATERAID) and maybe just take a moment to reflect on the size of the task ahead and the history Alfie is making himself part of with this inspiring attempt. 
 

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Categories Sport Tags channel swimmer young talent

By Sammy on 5/4/11

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