I know that many of you were on the WhatsApp group on the day so you will have seen more than enough swimming pictures, but for those of you who weren't, see attached. 

We started at 11.41pm from Samphire Hoe, near Folkstone. I started the relay which was probably the most surreal swim of my life - jumping into the sea in the middle of the night with a couple of flashing lights on my head and costume! 

The first few hours in the dark were very gritty, mainly due to sea sickness but also the cold and lack of sleep. Two of the team were very ill, despite having taken all the medication we could have taken, and it took incredible metal strength for them in the water. (We've just seen this morning that another relay failed after 4 hours due to sea sickness). However once the sun came up, the sea became calmer and we doubled up on the medication, things got a lot more enjoyable!

We saw loads of cargo ships and ferries, as well as 10 other Channel teams out in the Channel with us. I had an amazing 3rd swim covering nearly 7km due to the current, and we made great time down to the Cap. The reason for the slightly long route of the swim is due to tides and currents - only super fast swimmers can go straight across, the rest of us need to take more of an 'S' shape. Finally, Ness brought us in to France with an epic last swim and we finished at 2.41pm UK time. 

What a day and what an incredible team! I'm not sure I have ever done an event which relies more on teamwork than this - if anyone had stopped or got out, we would have had to turn back. So everyone is equal and has to pull their own weight - literally!

Thanks to you all, I have smashed the target I never thought I would have reached in the first place - £5,490. I really am totally blown away by everyone's generosity and from some people I don't even know. The David Nott Foundation will be over the moon. If you haven't already there's still time to sponsor me.

Thank you all so very much, and you are all safe in the knowledge that I shouldn't be asking for sponsorship any time soon as there is no way on this earth that I am ever going to do a solo Channel swim!

Kate Ribeiro dos Santos (B 92-94)