The Navy Team

RAF CHANNEL SQUAD 2009

F/O Harris                  As a specialist 1500m freestyle swimmer, Fg Off Nick Harris's swimming career spanned 7 years with Ealing Swimming Club in West London and 3 years at Nova Centurion in Nottingham. In that time he won the University Swimming Championships, was a finalist at a number of national finals and finished 13th at the 2004 Olympic Trials. After being ranked 9th in the UK, Nick joined the RAF in 2006 and commissioned in 2007 before starting Eng (CE) Phase 2 training. In his time in the RAF Nick attended his first Inter Services in 2008 winning the 400m and 800m freestyle. He has also won a number of RAF Championship events and currently holds the RAF record for the 200m freestyle. 

F/O Phippen               Before joining the RAF I swam for my local club; Norton Radstock and swam in local galas up to Western County Level. I have been swimming with the RAF and for the Combined Services team since I joined up in 2007.

Flt Lt Walsh               Pre-2000 – Around Jersey relay team member, Gibraltar to Morocco relay team member.  2000 – Solo swim - Manhattan Island Marathon Swim, 28.5 mile swim around Manhattan Island, NY, USA.  2001 – Solo English Channel swim completed in 10 hours 54 minutes.  2002 – RAF Ladies Channel Relay Swim member, swim completed in 10 hours 27 minutes.  2003 to 2005 – Having kids. 

2006 – World Masters Swimming, Open water event San Francisco Bay, USA. 

2007 – Channel Relay Swim member, RAF Team for Channel Eagle 2007.  I have completed the Inter-Services 5km Lake Bala swim every year since 1991 including the years I was expecting.

Chief Tech Wooldridge         Been swimming since the age of 6 for local Club.  Joined RAF in 1984 and have swam for RAFSA since 1985.  Completed seven various Channel Relay swims including fastest crossing 1992 and Belgium to England (the only ever team to do this).  Swam Bala 5k on many occasions winning Inter-Service swimmer three times in row.

SAC Kingshott           Swam with local Club and Western Region before joining the RAF in 2003.  Represented RAFSA at swimming and Water-Polo since this time.  Bala 5k 2009 was first open water swim.

SAC Ransby               Sue has been swimming for “as long as she can remember” completing her first 2 mile swim when I was 6 years old! Before joining the RAF in August 2007 she was a national level swimmer.  Her first open water swimming experience was Lake Bala 5k 2009 and she is looking forward to swimming the Channel at the end of July.

Alice Asbury has just completed the first year of a Biology management degree at Cardiff University.  Her home is in Bruton, Somerset.  This will be her first attempt at the Channel.

Beth Griffiths has just completed her first year reading Medicine at Cardiff University.  Her home is in Cardiff.  This will be her first attempt at the Channel.

Danni Ash has just completed her second year reading Business Management at Swansea University.  No stranger to the sea her home is in Gosport, Hampshire.  This will be her first attempt at the Channel.

Joe Jay Carvill has just completed his first year at Cardiff University reading English Literature.  His home is in Sherbourne, Dorset.  This will be his first attempt at the Channel.

Laura Glasgow has just completed her second year at Swansea University reading Geography.  Her home is in Solihull.  An experienced pool swimmer, this will be her first attempt at the Channel.

Laura-Beth Pilkington has just completed her second year at Carsiff University reading medicine.  Her home is in Wrexham.  This will be her first attempt at the Channel.

Kat France (no photo) has just completed her first year at Cardiff reading medicine.  Her home is in Lymm, Cheshire.  This will be her first attempt at the Channel.

Doug Gibson is the manager of the Wales UOTC Channel Swim team.  The final team has been selected from over 100 students who volunteered at Christmas some seven months ago. Training has involved too many lengths of pools around Wales to count, as well as a number of open water swims in Welsh lakes and the sea.