English Channel 2018
Donation protected
Cost & Donation
We are raising funds for two purposes. The first is charity for ALS, an affliction that Matt’s grandfather passed away from. The second is to help offset the cost of this endeavor.
The money collected will be distributed 50/50.
English Channel
Crossing the English Channel is considered the Everest of swimming. The combination of relentlessly cold waters, an unforgiving current, and a marathon's worth of swimming make it one of the toughest swims in the world.
While the channel is 21 miles directly across, the current makes the swim approximately 26 miles. The average relay completes the crossing in 12 hours, 45 minutes. Harder than the distance is the cold water. The Channel water is 60 degrees and no wetsuit is allowed.
In addition to the English Channel being the busiest shipping lane in the world, there are other hazards to contend with such as floating debris, large waves, chafing saltwater, and jellyfish.
Captain Matthew Webb was the first person to successfully swim the Channel in 1875. The first woman to swim across was Gertrude Ederle in 1926.
In August 2018, Yawei, Jonathan, Mark, and Matt are going to swim across it as a relay.
About Us
Jonathan, Mark and Yawei are currently swimming for Seattle Masters team DBST. Matt and Yawei used to swim together for Northeastern University Swim Club (NUSC).
Each of us has been swimming competitively for the majority of our lives. We've done several open water events before and are ready to try out one of the most challenging swims in the world.
Yawei Hao - Age 28. Won age group in Alcatraz swim 2016. Works at Amazon Web Services.
Jonathan Haas - Age 50. Succeeded in English Channel swim with four member relay in 2011. Orthopedic surgeon.
Mark Wall - Age 28. Second in age group in Alcatraz swim 2016. Works at Amazon.
Matt Knapik - Age 25. Has crossed Long Island Sound (16 Miles) as part of a relay team 5 times. Has crossed the Saint Kitts/ Nevis Chanel once. Works at Haley and Aldrich.
We are raising funds for two purposes. The first is charity for ALS, an affliction that Matt’s grandfather passed away from. The second is to help offset the cost of this endeavor.
The money collected will be distributed 50/50.
English Channel
Crossing the English Channel is considered the Everest of swimming. The combination of relentlessly cold waters, an unforgiving current, and a marathon's worth of swimming make it one of the toughest swims in the world.
While the channel is 21 miles directly across, the current makes the swim approximately 26 miles. The average relay completes the crossing in 12 hours, 45 minutes. Harder than the distance is the cold water. The Channel water is 60 degrees and no wetsuit is allowed.
In addition to the English Channel being the busiest shipping lane in the world, there are other hazards to contend with such as floating debris, large waves, chafing saltwater, and jellyfish.
Captain Matthew Webb was the first person to successfully swim the Channel in 1875. The first woman to swim across was Gertrude Ederle in 1926.
In August 2018, Yawei, Jonathan, Mark, and Matt are going to swim across it as a relay.
About Us
Jonathan, Mark and Yawei are currently swimming for Seattle Masters team DBST. Matt and Yawei used to swim together for Northeastern University Swim Club (NUSC).
Each of us has been swimming competitively for the majority of our lives. We've done several open water events before and are ready to try out one of the most challenging swims in the world.
Yawei Hao - Age 28. Won age group in Alcatraz swim 2016. Works at Amazon Web Services.Jonathan Haas - Age 50. Succeeded in English Channel swim with four member relay in 2011. Orthopedic surgeon.Mark Wall - Age 28. Second in age group in Alcatraz swim 2016. Works at Amazon. Matt Knapik - Age 25. Has crossed Long Island Sound (16 Miles) as part of a relay team 5 times. Has crossed the Saint Kitts/ Nevis Chanel once. Works at Haley and Aldrich.Organizer
Yawei Hao
Organizer
Seattle, WA