Al Gale
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TV Show - Swim the Channel

13/7/2016

1 Comment

 
Picture
France it that way, yes?
​(Photo courtesy of Mother Hen Films)
It's almost two years since I undertook to swim the Channel for Acorns.  And it's over three years since I awoke with the ridiculous notion of doing so.
I believe I still bear the mental scars from freezing cold early morning swims throughout the winter, from hour upon hour in the pool at David Lloyd's, and from half a day spent in the water at Windermere.
But I genuinely remember little about the actual Channel swim itself.
So it's good timing that the film about Channel swimming*, so expertly put together by S&O media, airs on Monday 18th July (2016).  The production was purchased by the BBC, and will be shown at 21:00 on BBC4.
Over 220 hours of footage were captured by the film crew, and this was then painstakingly edited down to produce a very focused and condensed one hour documentary.
Reviews so far are very positive (here's one from the Radio Times: http://www.radiotimes.com/tv-programme/e/d8qjj8/swim-the-channel), and a pre-edit that I managed to see certainly showed me that the film is very representative of my experiences.
And before anyone asks, no, I'm not planning on doing it again!

*Contains partial nudity and the occasional profanity.
1 Comment
Eric Griffiths
15/7/2016 08:35:31

Being the father of who was, at that time, a 16 year old girl, single minded and stubborn in her resolve to do something of such enormity and dedication for such a young woman, I can enthuse at Alan's achievement. Of course I am biased, but Alan is a mature, ultra fit, male specimen, while my daughter was just reaching her adulthood when she crossed in 13hrs 28mins. However, I will be glued to the screen - I do have some 6 hours of video - yes, video! - of the preparation and swim that my daughter undertook on 12 May 1997, but at that time nobody seemed interested. I'm glad this has got the exposure that it warrants.

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    Alan Gale

    One time soldier, part-time author, full-time training manager, husband and father.

    Swam 21.8 miles of the English Channel in August 2014 for Acorns Children's Hospice, in memory of our son, Harry Gale, raising over £13,000

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