Steele shows her mettle

THE month of August will mark 10 years since schoolteacher Anne Steele became the first Tasmanian to swim the English Channel.

Steele, 48, was named Tasmanian of the Year in 2008 in recognition of her swim and the more than $200,000 she raised at the time for the Children’s Cancer Institute Austra- lia. In September, she will mark that anniversary by returning to the UK — this time to swim Scotland’s Loch Earn from one end to the other.

At 10km, the swim is much shorter than the 48km crossing of the Channel but the water temperature will be much colder.

“The water temperature is anticipated to be about 11 degrees which will certainly take its toll on my body and its ability to be able to function in these extreme conditions, preparation is paramount.” the Sacred Heart School teacher said yesterday.

“I can’t say I’m enjoying my swims in the Derwent now winter has arrived, but also know I have to keep pushing through those mental and physical barriers.

Steele says studies have proven that the body adapts to cold water after a period of acclimatisation and her motivation is to raise money for Melanoma Tasmania after she was diagnosed with a malignant skin cancer five years ago.

Steele says early detection saved her life.

“It was removed before it had permeated the deeper layers of the skin.”

The latest statistics show that there are 290 cases of melanoma a year in Tasmania, but Steele said she hoped funding for early detection awareness could reduce that figure.