Sonora Native Wants To Swim The English Channel

The English Channel is the twenty-two mile long body of water between England and France. Less than 1,700 people have successfully swam it.

Teri Wells was Thursday’s KVML “Newsmaker of the Day”.

Wells is a nineteen year old native of Tuolumne County who graduated from Sonora High School in 2011. She currently is attending Columbia College.

Swimming has been a part of Well’s life since the age of five when she joined Tuolumne County Aquatics (TCA). Wells participated in every water-related sport at Sonora High School and she currently spends five to six days per week swimming at Sonora Sports & Fitness. Wells swims anywhere from four thousand to five thousand yards per day.

Wells TCA Coach swam the English Channel less than ten years ago and inspired Wells into wanting to do the same. Additionally, Wells is a coach for the Sail Fish program at Sonora Sports and Fitness, which includes kids ages five through nine, and would like to inspire the children by swimming the English Channel herself.

During the summer, the water temperatures in the English Channel are typically around sixty degrees. Wells will have to acclimate herself by swimming in cold salty water and will train vigorously for nineteen weeks before her full attempt to swim the channel. She recently swam for two miles in Santa Cruz and this weekend she will be swimming for two miles in the San Francisco Bay near the Richmond Bay Point.

Wells says that “her tide” (when the currents are safest) will range from July 27th through August 2nd, 2013. A pilot boat will be hired to cruise slowly beside her.

In addition to the challenge of training and the swim, Wells will also need to raise about $15,000 to turn her dream into a reality. A series of fundraisers will be held between now and next July.

The “Newsmaker of the Day” is heard each weekday morning on AM 1450 KVML at 6:47, 7:47 and 8:47am.