Retailer Principal swims Solent for charity
Not content with running a busy family business, Dealer Principal Tony Slack of Derek Slack Motors has been training to swim the 2.5 miles across the Solent from Fort Gilkicker on the main land to Ryde Sands on the Isle of Wight.
Training twice a week in the local swimming pool & entering open water swimming competitions across the country, Tony finally took up the challenge on Saturday August 23rd, in difficult conditions.
In its second year, the 2014 Aspire Solent swim challenge, selected 12 swimmers after passing a stringent qualification criteria on a Dover training weekend.
“In the safety briefing we were told to aim for the church spire in Ryde which as I got to the half way point felt like it was moving backwards!”
Tony completed the challenge in 90 minutes said, “It took longer than I expected and the wind was so strong my safety kayaker was blown away three times needing to be towed back to me by a power boat”.
Event organiser, Andrew Ogierman from Aspire said, “The Solent is a tough challenge. It’s a tricky stretch of water with the tides around the Isle of Wight plus tidal estuaries & shipping. The water temperature is about 10 degrees colder than most swimming pools.”
Every eight hours someone in the UK is paralysed by spinal cord injury. Aspire is a national charity founded in 1983 offering practical support for those with spinal cord injury, including housing, assistive technology & a human needs fund.
Tony who is planning another swim challenge next year said, “ I was delighted when I finally stepped onto to dry land, and I’d like to thank everyone who sponsored me at Just Giving and for the money raised for Aspire”.