35 HOUR WEEK – IN THE WATER

Source: Liz Herbert, Communications Network 

Setting himself up to beat the odds that see around only 35 percent of solo English Channel crossing hopefuls succeed, Kaise Stephan will embark on his biggest week of training yet – a mammoth 35 hours in the water covering 90 kilometres.

Simulating the pitch-black 3am start that he will face when he steps into the water off Dover next month, one of Kaise’s sessions will take place after dark - on Thursday night [12th of June] at the Sydney International Regatta Centre at Penrith.

The session will see him swim 10 kilometres over three hours in approximately 16 degrees Celsius, finishing at 8pm.  The swim will serve a dual purpose - helping acclimatise to dark as well as the cold conditions he will meet in the Dover Strait – one of the world’s busiest shipping channels.

 “This will be my toughest training week yet –  after this we’ll taper off alternating between 30 and 60 k weeks,” said Kaise.

“The thought of the $85,000 raised so far by channelcrossingforlife.com for the Children’s Hospital at Westmead and the huge generosity of the people that have chipped in will help stave off the chills and put some light into the darkness.”

Among the many donors have been school kids from St Hurmizd Assyrian Primary school and Mar Narsai Assyrian College both at Greenfield Park.  The kids from Prairiewood High too have been actively raising funds through their student leadership group and have been avid followers of Kaise’s progress.

Some of the happy moments that Kaise has experienced in-between the trials of training have been being presented by the Children’s Hospital with the Bronze Bandaged Bear and shows of appreciation from children undergoing treatment.  “The Bronze Bear was a lovely acknowledgment of the fundraiser and I was really touched by the drawings that sick kids did for me.  They’ll be a cherished memento from all this.”