Delia Salomon To Attempt English Channel Swim–At 16

For most 16 year-olds, cars and driving take top priority. Delia Salomon isn’t like most 16 year-olds.  She has a far bigger ambition. Delia Salomon is planning to swim the English Channel.  Since 1875, the English Channel has only been swam a total of 772 times. In relation to Mt. Everest, this endeavor will be close to four times more difficult,  where over 3,500 people have summited the world’s highest peak since 1953.

Delia Salomon has been training fanatically over the past year for the English Channel attempt. Her first try will take place in August. She has been busy running, swimming, and acclimatizing for the big moment, as well as gaining an extra 15 pounds that will help protect her from the frigid 50 degree waters. As for the acclimatizing, much like climbers on Mt. Everest, Delia is trying to persuade her body into accepting the frigid temperatures of the water. She does this by swimming in cooler waters, as well as the occasional ice bath.

The English Channel is notoriously known for bad weather and the harsh current. Often swimmers are taken miles off course or relent unceremoniously to the current that tugs a swimmer back two strokes for every one forward. The English Channel spans 21 miles across. One of Delia’s trainers recently mentioned to the San Francisco Chronicle that it compares to running 36 miles continuously, uphill. Delia Salomon is planning on completing this feat in 9 hours. The record is seven.

Even at sixteen-years-old, Delia will not be the youngest person to ever achieve that feat. That distinction belongs to a twelve-year-old who completed the English Channel in 1983. Since that time, the rules have changed. The Channel Swimming Association, who governs all attempts at swimming the Channel, has changed the age to 16. They have also enforced a rule that any successful attempt has to end on land. This could require a bit of climber skills to pull off, as the landfall area is surrounded by rock and cliffs.

The San Francisco Chronicle, who recently ran an article on Delia Salomom (she lives in nearby Berkeley) had a great quote from Delia on her ambitions:

“I think I can do it,” says Delia, an A student at Berkeley High who’s completing her sophomore year. “It’s a goal I set for myself. It’s good to push ourselves, to try to do things that you don’t think you can do.“

To bad all kids don’t have that same mentality.  My daughters, all they care about are boys–YUCK!

By the way, another cool thing.  Delia was inspired by reading a book–