Swim Smooth Episode 25 - Big Rick's Chicks Break English Channel World Record!

Swim Smooth Episode 25 - Big Rick's Chicks Break English Channel World Record!

We're back and pumped today with the achievements of Swim Smooth Manchester's 

Head Coach, Lucy Lloyd-Roach and her team of four female swimmers who on the 1st September broke the world record to be the first ever female English Channel Relay Team to swim across La Manche in full medley order - backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly and freestyle - with each team member having to complete 60 minutes of uninterrupted swimming on their given stroke.

Lucy swam the butterfly leg as British Master's butterfly champion, with 

Melanie Holland (a Triple Crown marathon swimmer and

4-way English Channel relay swimmer) doing the honours on the backstroke, 

Claire Thorne (multiple British Masters Champion) taking the breaststroke leg, 

and 

Sarah Hempenstall (Ironman and another British Masters Champion)

 rounding out the team with the freestyle.

The girls made it over to France in a stellar time of 12h17m and recount their training programs, experiences on the boat and their fund raising in honour of Surfers Against Sewage and also the Big Rick's team commemorating superstar marathon swimmer Mark Rickhuss who sadly passed away in 2005 at the age of just 41 from a heart attack whilst supporting another swimmer across the Channel.
Paul and Adam also discuss the latest developments at Swim Smooth, both locally and globally with our Certified Coaches, as well as the latest project the team has been working on to really enhance our online / remote coach offering.

click to listen to the ladies talk to paul newsome 

all about their record breaking swim  

 

( Many thanks to Paul and swimsmooth for speaking to the Ricks  Ladies 

click link to hear complete swimsmooth podcast )

https://player.fm/series/swim-smooth/episode-25-big-ricks-chicks-break-english-channel-world-record 

Ricks Ladies Set English Channel swimming World record

 

BIG RICK’S CHICKS 

COMPLETE MEDLEY RELAY ACROSS

 THE ENGLISH CHANNEL

A group of women from Big Rick’s Swim Team 

have successfully become the first all-female medley relay 

to cross the 21-mile English Channel

BY NICOLE MILLER 2 SWIMSWAM 

Europe, Industry, International, News, Open Water

A team of women from Big Rick’s Swim Team have successfully completed a medley relay across the English Channel.

By completing the 21 mile swim, the group known as “Big Rick’s Chicks” and composed of  Melanie Holland, Claire Thorn, Lucy Lloyd-Roach, and Sarah Hempenstall has become the first all-women’s medley relay to cross the channel. 

As previously reported, the team planned on crossing the channel rotating through the traditional medley relay order, with each swimmer in the water for an hour. With all swimmers going at the same pace, this would put each swimmer at a distance of swimming approximately 5.2 miles. 

The group began their attempt in England around 11 pm on August 31, going in the order: 

• Melanie Holland- Backstroke 
• Claire Thorn- Breaststroke
• Lucy Lloyd-Roach- Butterfly
• Sarah Hempenstall- Freestyle

12 hours and 17 minutes later, they landed in France. Due to the order of the relay, Holland ended up being the final leg, leading the team to  France just before noon on September 1. 

The swimmers completed the swim to raise money for Surfers Against Sewage, which aims to “inspire, unite and empower communities to take action to protect our oceans, beaches, waves and wildlife.” 

Big Rick’s Swim Team is a group of open water marathon swimmers formed in 2008 in memory of Mark Rickhuss. The group takes on long distance open water races and swims in order to raise money for charities and challenge themselves. 

( Many thanks to SWIMSWAM for following the Ricks Ladies link to story

 https://swimswam.com/big-ricks-chicks-complete-medley-relay-across-the-english-channel/

BIG RICK’S CHICKS COMPLETE MEDLEY RELAY ACROSS THE ENGLISH CHANNEL

 

MEET RICKS RECORD-BREAKING WOMEN 

WHO SWIM THE ENGLISH CHANNEL 

FOR A CLEANER OCEAN

watch the ladies in Action 

Melanie Holland, Claire Thorn, Lucy Lloyd-Roach, and Sarah Hempenstall are known as Big Rick’s Chicks, part of British swimming club Big Rick’s Swim Team.

 

The Four British women have successfully completed a medley relay across the English Channel, raising more than €2,000 for marine charity Surfers Against Sewage.

 

Their race, at the end of August, makes them the first-ever all-female team to swim a medley relay across the Channel.

Melanie Holland, Claire Thorn, Lucy Lloyd-Roach, and Sarah Hempenstall are known as Big Rick’s Chicks, part of British swimming club Big Rick’s Swim Team.

To qualify as a medley relay, they each had to swim a different stroke. They swam in 1-hour chunks and rested on a support boat in between swims.

The 34km swim took them 12 hours and 17 minutes, arriving in France just before noon on 1st of September.

( Many thanks to Eure News channel for following the Ricks Ladies )

 https://www.euronews.com/living/2020/09/13/meet-the-record-breaking-women-swimming-the-channel-for-cleaner-oceans