COVID-19 stops play

This has something that I’ve been worried about happening all season - someone would get COVID-19 and not only would we have to stop training, but one or more swimmers’ dreams would be put on hold for the year.

I think we’ve been extremely lucky, to be honest. The peak of the training season coincided with the lowest part of the pandemic in the UK so far.

However, we are now progressing into a second peak and when Paul showed signs of COVID-19 on Friday evening (continuous cough & loss of taste) I needed to assess and react. Whilst Paul wasn’t with me when he was symptomatic, he had been with me within 48 hours and because of that I also needed to self isolate. Mandi was busy on Saturday and without a car on the Sunday. I had all the equipment and couldn’t see anyone to pass it on.

So, whilst it’s not something I do lightly, the decision was actually quite simple - I had to cancel training whilst we waited for Paul's COVID-19 test results. In the background we could work on a plan to be able to run training next weekend regardless of the outcome.

You’ll be relieved to know (I know I am) that Paul’s test came back negative. Next weekend is back on as normal and with no changes required.

DOVER SWIMS

Given that there wasn’t actually any training this weekend, I can’t talk about standout performances. I can say how many were due to train. Each of these individuals were contacted by text and email to advise them of the changes on Friday evening. The person booked in for Saturday was phoned. Each of these have the opportunity for a refund or to be transferred to the final weekend. If you haven’t yet let me know your answer, please contact me.

I am very grateful for the investment that I made in the technology to make this possible. In the old world of people just turning up, I could not have guaranteed getting hold of everyone. We’ve had contact swimmers urgently due to unforeseen changes a couple of times this season (e.g. when the harbour closed late one Saturday night) and I can rest much easier knowing that I’ve actually contacted those impacted.

Bookings:

Saturday: 1 long swim, 0 short swims
Sunday: 2 long swims, 5 short swims

SUCCESS IN THE CHANNEL

We had more enjoyed a couple of days of swims this week with:

3 new English Channel soloists
9 new relay teams
Also belatedly from last Sunday a new Jersey to France soloist

Of special note we saw:

David Willians (12:42). David trained with DCT last year and got blown out during the season. He hung on hoping for an opportunity later in the year and it never came. He came back again this year and got blown out from his tide again but did get the chance to swim last week - hoorah!! That’s one heck of a Dovercoaster ride and showed real resilience as well as impressive swimming.
Sarah Philpott (13:48), whilst not someone who trains with DCT, she was a regular smiley face on the beach who we got to know well. I was delighted to see her get her chance to join the club!
Seas the day (relay) (14:17), this was my second relay of the year with a team of DCTers: Jane Carnall; Paul James; Dirk Gewert; me and Jon Southey. We had a cracking day out!!
No buoys allowed (relay) (12:50), whilst not a team who trained with DCT, this 3 person team did contain a member of my swimming club and it was lovely to meet up with them in the car park before they started.
Melanie Holland was a super last minute Jersey to France solo in a time of 7:34. It was an unofficial swim due to the last minute nature.

REFLECTING ON THE COVID-19 IMPACT

I don’t think anyone could have predicted how this season would have panned out. When we sat in Maidstone at the seminars it looked set to be another season as it had always been.

Then COVID-19 hit and literally the whole world changed.

I have been impressed by the decisions made by swimmers this season. Whether your decision was to defer or to swim, it was a big decision that you were not planning to make. Well done you for taking control.

The same was true for how we operated training this year. We had to significantly adapt. It wasn’t easy. Some of it isn’t how we would have chosen to run things. Yet out of the weirdness and difficulty came new learnings. Things that were actually better.

Nothing is all bad or all good, let’s take the good and keep hold of it. Let’s learn from the forced learnings. Let’s look forward to those areas that we didn’t want to have to do, finally disappearing, though who knows when.

HALLOWEEN FRIGHT NIGHT - CANCELLED

I've been thinking some more about this. With a second peak of COVID-19 in progress now, as much fun as it would be, I’m not convinced that arranging a fun event like this is the right thing to do at this time.

With training the risks are very low, with everyone just swimming and naturally maintaining social distancing. In order to make it a ‘fright night’ there would need to be more elements than purely swimming. If any of these were to cause issues with social distancing it would not be appropriate at this time.

For that reason I am cancelling the plans. We should look to do this in a future year though!

REMINDER - BADGE WEEKEND

Next weekend is our last weekend of training - sob.

Chances are that the water will be too warm for a qualifying swim, but you could still do a back to back 7 & 6, after all, don’t they say ‘Go big or go home!’? What a way to end the season.

So if you’re tempted, book in to the sessions in the normal way. You’ll only be able to select 6 hours, but don’t worry, there will be 7 hour options for anyone who wants them on the Saturday. Badges will be available at £4 each to those who complete a 7 & 6 on the same weekend.

If 7 & 6 isn’t really your thing, come anyway. Finish training on a high with your personal challenge.

Come on, you know you want to….

There are limited spaces available, so don’t delay, book today!

Book your session here. Choose Dover weekend training sessions.

DCT Week 21 - a mini COVID-19 break