Challenge of a Lifetime

01.10.2009- Four Swim English Channel for Hospital Ship Charity   Friends and colleagues, Jérôme (32) and Jérémie (23) Vittoz, Andrew Curran (32), and Chris Williamson (32) successfully swam the English Channel in a challenge of a lifetime to raise money for Mercy Ships.

Jérôme and Andrew who work for Lindt Chocolate, along with Jérôme’s brother Jérémie and their friend Chris, teamed up to swim the channel – a feat that fewer people have achieved than have climbed Mount Everest.

Swimming as a relay and rotating an hour on and an hour off to cover the whole distance of about 32 kilometers, keen adventurers Andrew, Chris, Jérémie and Jérôme expected the swim to take between 14 and 15 hours. In the end, they did it in “only” 13 hours 47 minutes.

Jérôme said: “By crossing the English Channel, we found friend and family to sponsor our adventure and to raise as much money as possible for the charity Mercy Ships which crosses oceans with hospital ships to provide medical and humanitarian services to people in Africa.”

Andrew said: “We all like to take part in big challenges and this certainly was a big challenge. The real reason we did this challenge however is not for the acclaim but to support Mercy Ships. Learning about the charity and the selfless volunteers has inspired me, there are very few charities that you see make such a tangible difference to people’s lives.”

“None of us are big swimmers and we all had to put some serious training in to prepare for this. There are also very strict regulations from the Channel Swimming Association that we had to follow including only being allowed to wear Speedos and goose fat and at no point whilst swimming could one of us touch the boat”.

They reached Calais just after 10pm after swimming across the busiest shipping lane in the world, having dodged many a jellyfish and experienced freezing temperatures.

The team, who called themselves “a bunch of Swissies” raised over CHF6’000 for the poor in Africa.

Bryce Wagner, Director for Mercy Ships Switzerland said: “I have known Jérôme and Jérémie for years, I knew the brothers were full of energy, but I never imagined they would attempt such a feat! This was a very big and admirable challenge and we are extremely thankful to them and anyone who go out of their way to help raise funds and awareness of Mercy Ships.”

“Without kind donations and fundraising activities to support the work we do Mercy Ships would simply cease to exist. The vital life saving surgeries that are so desperately needed could not happen without our supporters.”

Mercy Ships is always looking for new and creative ideas of how to raise funds and awareness in Switzerland. If you have an idea of how to help, please do not hesitate to contact its office in Lausanne.