Otters Relay Team Updates
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Please join us in congratulating the YWCA Channel Challenge swimmers at their Welcome Home Party! The party will be held in conjuntion with our annual meeting on August 21 at the Midtown YWCA. The party will be from 5:00-6:30 p.m., with a brief program at 6:00 p.m. to hear their stories of this amazing journey.

It's not to late to make a donation in honor of these athletes for the YWCA Swim for Change Campaign. Donate Now!

Otters Relay Completes Successful Channel Swim!

Time: 2:05 p.m. (8:05 p.m. London Time) Comments: Otters swimmer Betsy Robertson officially touched French soil at 2:05 p.m. to complete the Otters relay Channel swim! The relay swim took 11 hours and 59 minutes, and they covered a distance of approximately 22 miles. Dave was able to swim in to shore with Betsy to get photos that we will post on the YWCA Channel Challenge page as soon as we can. Congratulations to the YWCA Otters Relay team on your amazing accomplishment! It will take the teams approximately 3-4 hours to travel back to Dover Harbor, unpack their boats and return to the hotel. Photos and videos will be avaiable on the YWCA Channel Challenge page within the next 24 hours.

Point 11. Swimmer: Grete Wilt.

Time: 12:42 p.m. (6:42 p.m. London Time) Comments: We have reconnected with the Otters boat! It was still very difficult to get information across, and coordinates for Grete's swim needed to be said and confirmed back several times because reception was constanly cutting out. He will check in again when reception improves. Keelin and Benito both had successful second swims, and thier respective images should be available when Dave checks in again.

Update

Time: 12:10 p.m. (6:12 p.m. London Time) Comments: Tim from the Masters boat reports that he has not been able to connect with Dave for their inter-boat communications, so we suspect cell phone reception is waning again, or is perhaps weaker further west where the Otters are. He can still see the Otters boat to their west. As we get further along in the swims, it is becoming more evident that each boat pilot has his own idea about the best route to Cap Gris-Nez. Again, there are infinite variables to navigate on this 20+ mile journey that a pilot has to take into consideration, and each pilot's route will be unique.

Update

Time: 11:37 a.m. (5:16 p.m. London Time) Comments: We have not heard from Dave since the 9:30 a.m. update. As previously noted, there have been some difficulties getting cell phone calls through in the last several hours. More information will be posted when it becomes available.

Point 8. Swimmer: Mattea Allert.

Time: 9:16 a.m. (3:16 p.m. London Time) Comments: Mattea got her first chance at Channel swimming at 9:06 a.m. when she started her leg of the relay. While it may seem like the swimmers are heading off course, remember, they are vying with enormous ships and barges while battling wind, currents and waves. They are also specifically trying to move themselves into a an ocean current that will help pull them towards France. Their pilot predicts they will be in that current within the next hour or two.

Update - Boats Appear to be Out of Communication

Time: 9:16 a.m. (3:16 p.m. London Time) Comments: We have just received a very broken call from Dave - mostly static with no intelligible information. It appears both boats are having a hard time getting cell phone reception from their current locations. More information will be posted as soon as we are back in contact with the boats.

Point 7. Swimmer: Sif Nave.

Time: 8:06 a.m. (2:06 p.m. London time) Comments: Sif stared her leg of the relay at 8:06 a.m. and is looking strong.

Additional Update

Time: 7:20 a.m. (1:20 p.m. London time) Comments: Dave called back to say there was some excitement during Mandy's swim...as Tim relayed it for the Master's update: "They are right in the middle of the shipping lane, and have had a 'close encounter' with a large tanker ship - nothing serious, just some large waves to ride through." Look for video after the swims!

Point 6. Swimmer: Hallee Surber.

Time: 7:06 a.m. (1:06 p.m. London time) Comments: Hallee started her swim at 7:06 a.m. The rest of the team just had lunch, and Sif and Mattea are focusing on their upcoming swims.

Point 5. Swimmer: Mandy Theissen.

Time: 6:06 a.m. (12:06 p.m. London time) Comments: Otters are still a few hundred yards ahead of the Masters relay.

Point 4. Swimmer: Betsy Robertson.

Time: 5:06 a.m. (11:06 a.m. London time) Comments: Betsy started her leg of the swim at 5:06 a.m. Dave reported some of the swimmers are experiencing some queasiness, but they are otherwise doing great and trying to get some rest.

Point 3. Swimmer: Grete Wilt

Time: 4:06 a.m. (10:06 a.m. London time) Comments: Grete Wilt just started her swim!

Point 2. Swimmer: Benito Ramirez

Time: 3:21 a.m. (9:21 a.m. London time) Comments: Benito is in the water!

Point 1. Swimmer: Keelin Nave

Time: 2:06 a.m. (8:06 a.m. London time) The Otters relay team officially got in the water at 2:06 a.m. CST! Swimmer Keelin Nave leads off. Coach Dave will be calling around 21 minutes after the start of the hour (e.g. 8:21, 9:21, 10:21, etc.) for Otters team updates.