Veteran marathon runner Madeline Goodman and ex-international disabled swimmer Gary Watson will take part in the upcoming Wild West Solent Swim 2012.
Along with BBC ‘Panorama’ editor Ingrid Kelly and television presenter Jo Sinnott, the sports stars will add a touch of glamour to the occasion – which takes place on Sunday July 15th. So far 70 participants have signed up to swim across the Solent, reported islandpulse.co.uk.
For people going on Isle of Wight breaks to attend the event, the purpose is not just to challenge themselves physically; they will also be raising money for charity, with West Wight Sports Centre Trust being the main recipient of funds.
Event volunteer Fiona Thorpe is co-ordinating the safety aspect of the occasion. She said: “Safety is paramount and we have to spend an awful lot of time liaising with coastguards, lifeboat crew and many others to ensure the event runs smoothly. The one thing out of our control is the weather – so we are praying that summer will come soon!”
According to ventnorblog.com, West Wight Sports Centre manager Claire Griffin remarked how she has been “overwhelmed” by the support she has received and noted that people just seem to be “inspired” by the idea of swimming across the Solent.
In 2011, the inaugural Wild West Solent Swim raised