Channel triumph for Aussie super fish

GREG Shein joined an elite group earlier last week when he completed one of the most gruelling and famous tests of human endurance – a 34 kilometre swim across the English Channel.

Greg Shein during the 34km English Channel swim.

GREG Shein joined an elite group earlier last week when he completed one of the most gruelling and famous tests of human endurance – a 34 kilometre swim across the English Channel.

The Sydneysider departed from Shakespeare Beach in Dover, England at 3.15am on Sunday morning (local time) and endured frigid waters, unpredictable currents and shifting tides for nine hours and 18 minutes before he arrived at Cap Gris-Nez in France.

Poor weather saw several hopefuls abandon swims in the days leading up to Shein’s attempt, but a window of good weather meant the 26-year-old was able to take to the water.

“The conditions in the channel over the last couple of weeks haven’t looked good,” Shein told The AJN from England.

“And even the day I was swimming it was still pretty rough, with a strong tide, and big swells.

“I heard lots of people had come to England and not got the opportunity (to swim), so I thought I better take this chance if it’s there.”

Shein and his management received the green light on Saturday evening. A few hours of restless waiting later and Shein – clothed only in Speedos, as per the rules – plunged into the Channel waters to begin his marathon attempt.

“When you first dive in, you just think, ‘Oh goodness, this is pretty cold’,” said Shein, who had been training for two years in preparation for the swim.

“But the adrenaline is pumping and I’ve done a lot of training at Bondi, Balmoral Beach, and Manly all through the winter, so temperatures are quite comparable.”

With a boat full of coaches and family members alongside every stroke of the way, Shein paused only to guzzle down energy drinks every 30 minutes or so.

He said energy levels neared their lowest ebb just before sunrise as his shoulders tightened and the water temperature dropped. After that, the hardest point was the final stretch.

“That last hour was the toughest hour of swimming I’ve ever done,” he said.

“You have to push through currents, which are dragging you down the French coast, so you fight to angle in towards the shore.

“I finally ended up landing on a whole bunch of rocks (in France), which is not exactly how I imagined it to be. So I managed to hoist myself onto a rock and there were all these French people above me, waving at me, and I managed a few waves back.”

Out of more than 50 swimmers to complete the Channel swim in 2014, Shein’s time places him second and one of only a handful to crack the sub-10 hour mark.

“When you’re training, a key message from the coaches is not to focus on the time because it’s so dependent on conditions,” he said

“So under 10 hours was a great bonus, but also meant I didn’t have to spend longer in the cold water.”

“The incredible support I have received from family, friends and members of the community in the lead up to, during and following the swim was huge as well.”

Only 10 minutes is allowed on French soil before Shein was whisked back to Dover, where he celebrated in traditional style, downing a beer at the White Horse Pub, which features all the names of English Channel swimmers on its hallowed walls.

Shein, who is in his final year of medical school at Sydney University, also managed to raise $20,000 for two charities, the Shepard Centre, which helps hearing impaired children reach their full potential, and the Rainbow Club, which provides disabled youth with swimming lessons.

ADAM BLAU

Greg Shein during the 34km English Channel swim.