Hopes and Homes for Children - Swimming the English Channel

Bishop Wordsworth’s pupil Hugo Tribbeck swims competitively for the Salisbury Stingrays Swimming Club, training seven times a week, often two hours before and after school.

His father Jon Tribbeck had completed a solo channel swim in 2019 and thought his swimming days were over but his 12-year-old son wanted to have a go.

Mr Tribbeck said: “Hugo was too young to do a solo, so we teamed up with Chris Cole and his teenage son, Sam. Then, we were joined by Richard Dines, and Jo Fotheringham with Holly Walbridge as a reserve.”

To prepare for the challenge, Hugo had to practice swimming in the ocean to build up a tolerance to the cold and had to practice swimming at night.

Strong winds prevented them from making their planned crossing, so the team had to wait for the next opportunity. When the call came on Friday, August 26, two of the team were unable to make it.

Fortunately, reserve Holly Walbridge and American teammate Jessica Kieras stood in and the six-person relay team swam in strict rotation without buoyancy aids, wetsuits, or insulating costumes.

Jon Tribbeck (Image: Jon Tribbeck)

Mr Tribbeck added: “Swimming alongside a boat at night is fairly straightforward as there is a spotlight on the swimmer, but your whole discernible universe is condensed to a weird grey-blue puddle of light in the blackness.

“Hugo jumped in and started swimming like the clappers. I was worried at first that he’d started too fast but, to his credit, my fears were misplaced, and he managed to maintain an average stroke rate of 85spm over this swim, and again over his next which took place later in the morning.”

The team completed the swim to France on August 27 in 12 hours and 48 minutes with each person swimming for one hour at a time in strict rotation.

“They swam better than expected with two of them overcoming fears of swimming at night and jellyfish.

“I must also say a special thanks to Jessica who joined the team at the eleventh hour. We met her as a stranger and left her as a friend,” added Mr Tribbeck.

Hugo and Jon are raising funds for Hopes and Homes for Children to support those who don’t have the same love and opportunity that most take for granted. So far, they have raised over £500 on their fund-raising page.

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