Swimmer's two-way Channel crossing ordeal
A man's attempt to swim the Channel two ways was thwarted by choppy seas.
Paul Hopfensperger, from Bury St Edmunds, was attempting to swim the Channel two ways on Thursday night but could only achieve a one-way swim after the waters took their toll.
Paul, a Suffolk county councillor, is raising money for St Nicholas' Hiospice, in Bury, and Clic Sargent and last year completed a one-way Channel swim.
He left Dover from Samphire Hoe but said as soon as he entered the water he knew he was up against extreme conditions.
He said: "Swimming the Channel is 20 per cent physical and 80 per cent mental and I lost it as soon as I got in.
"Normally you swim and there's a huge swell which you swim to, but this time the waves were short and choppy and I just couldn't swim properly.
"But I'm not disappointed. So many people have tried it this year and no-one has succeeded. The problem was as soon as I got in I thought 'this is awful'."
However, the intrepid swimmer persevered and made tge crossing in 13 hours and three minutes.
He is aiming to have another crack at a two-way swim in 2010 and next year will try again to complete the Jersey to France swim.
To support his fund-raising, log on to www.hoffystwowaychannelswim.org.uk
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Weather for Bury St Edmunds
Friday 25 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 22 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: East
