BBC Radio Solent Team Exceeds Halfway Point in Children in Need Swimming Challenge

Personnel from BBC Radio Solent have gone beyond the halfway point of their objective to complete a 24-mile (38.6km) swim over five days to benefit Children in Need. Edward Sault from South Today and Steve Harris, presenter of Radio Solent’s Dorset Breakfast Show, commenced their swim at a Bournemouth pool earlier today. Their participation is part of The Thousand Mile Challenge, an initiative in which teams from BBC radio stations throughout the UK aim to collectively swim 1,000 miles (1609km) by Friday’s conclusion. The two individuals completed 468 lengths at BH Live Littledown, elevating the cumulative distance to slightly less than 17 miles (27km). Mr. Sault put on his jammers – which are tight-fitting, knee-length swimming shorts – prior to entering the water at 08:00 GMT. “I’m feeling amazing, I’m in my zone,” he stated. The presenter had consumed a substantial bowl of pasta on Tuesday evening for preparation and had been consuming sweets, bananas, and hot chocolate during the day. He further commented, “The first 20 [lengths] I was struggling a little bit because I had a bit of a cold over the weekend.” The team, consisting of five BBC employees from Hampshire and Dorset, is required to collectively swim 1,545 lengths in a 25m pool. However, the endeavor appears to have ignited a strong competitive spirit among certain team members. Newsreader Michael Coombes completed 211 lengths at The Quays in Southampton on Monday, a total that Mr. Sault and Mr. Harris aimed to surpass. Mr. Harris remarked, “That tragically is kind of my goal for the day.” Upon reaching 100 lengths, Mr. Harris mentioned experiencing “goggle-ache” and found it necessary to order a sugary latte to sustain his effort. He commented, “I’m a little worried that was the easy hundred, and the harder hundred is coming up next.” Nevertheless, he added that he would dedicate the subsequent hours to contemplating “the good that you’re doing for Children in Need.” On Tuesday, Lucy Ambache, presenter of the Radio Solent Afternoon Show, and apprentice Saffron Finch swam 396 lengths of the pool at Ravelin Sports Centre in Portsmouth. The team is scheduled to resume swimming on Friday, at which point they will be required to complete the remaining 470 lengths to finish the challenge. Sports reporter Rob Sills is set to join Ms. Ambache, Ms. Finch, Mr. Sault, and Mr. Harris for the concluding day at Two Riversmeet Leisure Centre in Christchurch, commencing at 08:00. For additional information, visit bbc.co.uk/swim. BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight can be followed on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content of external sites. Information regarding our external linking policy is available.