A Kiwi mum is just days away from attempting to swim the channel from England to France. Tracy Clark is not an athlete but has always dreamed of tackling the swim, a challenge so gruelling a woman died while attempting it last month.
Ms Clark is taking time out from school runs to take the plunge in a dream of swimming the English Channel.
Originally from west Auckland, Ms Clark has been living and training for the swim in the Netherlands, in between raising two boys.
“I’m a Kiwi mum; I’m not an athlete,” she says. “It’s a crazy idea on the list.”
The list of Kiwis who’ve actually succeeded is short – just 13 so far.
Ms Clark aims to swim around 32 kilometres in less than 14 hours, so every half hour she’ll tread water and take on some energy.
“Around feed six I’m going to treat myself. I got pineapple lumps – so exciting.”
The jellyfish-infested waters are likely to keep her occupied too, but the biggest challenge will be physical health.
Eight people have died since the first channel swim in 1875, most recently 34-year-old British woman Susan Taylor, who collapsed less than 2km from France.
But Ms Clark is still determined to give it a go, and she’ll be flying the flag for Kiwi mums when she does.
