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Ross Edgley sets record for round Great Britain swim

November 04, 2018

An adventurer from Grantham has become the first person to swim 1,780-miles around Great Britain.

Ross Edgley, 33, was joined by 300 swimmers for the last mile before he arrived in Margate at about 09:00 GMT.

Edgley left the Kent town on 1 June, and has not set foot on land since, swimming for up to 12 hours a day and eating more than 500 bananas.

He has battled strong tides and currents in cold water, braved storms, jellyfish and swimming in late autumn.

The effort has taken its toll on his body, resulting in shoulder pain, wetsuit chafing and his tongue has partially disintegrated from salt water exposure.


Back on dry land, Edgley told the BBC that despite needing to learn to walk again after so long in the water he is still "not quite bored of swimming" and looking for his next challenge.

Supported in his swim by Cornish sailor Matthew Knight from his catamaran Hecate, Edgley revealed that at times the tides helped him to swim at speeds of up to 8.7 knots.

"That's a dolphin's cruising speed," he laughed.

 

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SOURCE: BBC NEWS

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