THE GREEK Cypriot who swam the English Channel last month has been forced by bad seas to abandon his latest challenge – a return swim to France and back
Dr Julio Georgiou, 29, a lecturer at the Imperial College in London, had set himself the target of a two way swim across the Channel for the Radio Marathon charity.
Georgiou swam through heavy seas to France in 14 hours and 28 minutes, but the worsening weather prevented him from making the return trip.
Sofia Georgiou, charity organiser, said yesterday: “No way is this a failure. He did plan to swim two ways in one day, but you cannot predict what is going to happen. He has finished with a successful one way lap and that is something to be proud of.”
Georgiou completed a one way swim across the channel on August 9, accompanied by a single pilot boat. He raised money for Cancer BACUP and Children with Leukaemia in the UK and the Anticancer Organisation in Cyprus.
The August one-way crossing took Georgiou 10 hours and 24 minutes, an hour and 36 minutes quicker than the 12-hour goal he set himself and faster than the normal time it takes to swim the single length.
The channel swim, especially the two-way, is considered to be one of the ultimate challenges. Swimming in cold water between 13 to 16 degrees centigrade, causing hypothermia that accounts for many failures, Channel swimmers also have to avoid seaweed, flotsam and jetsam, and navigate winds, tides and choppy seas.
Georgiou was trained by Freda Streeter, world-renowned Channel swimming coach, using the facilities of an unheated open-air pool and training in Dover harbour every weekend.
Logicom are the sponsors for Georgiou’s return to the water, providing funds for the use of a pilot boat and crew, who encouraged Georgiou throughout his 21 mile swim from Shakespeare Beach, Dover, to Cap Gris Nez, the headland half way between Calais and Boulogne.
Kyriacos Fiakkas, Executive Director of Logicom said: “In the first consideration, we wanted to help our fellow Cypriot to complete this challenge and excel. We also took the opportunity to promote our company with marketing, throughout the course of this event.”
Georgiou was not available for comment, but Fiakkas said: “We heard that Julio made it across the Channel unharmed, but unfortunately could not return due to the poor weather conditions at the time.”
For more information about supporting Cancer BACUP and “Children with Leukaemia” in the UK, contact Sofia Georgiou on (+44) 7957458047.