Stroke of genius

Endurance swimmer Chloe Mccardel has completed her 35th crossing of the Channel after reaching Calais just before 7am yesterday.

The 35-year-old Australian took 10 hours and 40 minutes to make the crossing after leaving Abbot’s Cliff beach near Folkestone on Saturday evening. The 21-mile trip means Mccardel moves to second on the list of the most Channel swims, passing Kevin Murphy, a British athlete who has made the journey 34 times.

She now only trails another Briton, Alison Streeter, who has completed the challenge 43 times.

The first person known to have swum the Channel was Captain Matthew Webb in 1875, making him an instant celebrity. It took him just under 22 hours and he never performed the feat again. Yesterday, Australian Chloe Mccardel completed the swim in 10 hours and 40 minutes. It was her 35th crossing and passed the greatest number by men, though not the all-time record of 43 held by Alison Streeter. Ms Mccardel’s main concern was not so much the cold or the jellyfish but whether she would have to quarantine because she had spent 10 minutes on the beach near Calais. After seeking advice, she was told this was not necessary. Lucky they did not make her wear a mask.