Channel challenge

By CASEY NEILL
A SELBY man who once described himself as a “lousy swimmer” will next month tackle the English Channel.
Rhodesian-born Paul Hoffman has been dreaming about the challenge since he was 14 years old.
He’d volunteered as a surf lifeguard at Sunrise beach in Cape Town, South Africa. Legendary open water swimmer Lewis Pugh assessed his qualifying swim.
“I was in awe of his ability,” Mr Hoffman said.
Pugh told him about his channel swim and the seed was planted.
“He was just so positive about it all,” Mr Hoffman said.
“It stuck in my mind.”
So two years ago he decided his 40th birthday would be a great time to tackle it. He contacted coach John Van Wisse and has been training in pools and open water across Melbourne ever since.
Van Wisse has trained 13 channel swimmers and all have completed the journey, so the odds are in Mr Hoffman’s favour.
“Or the pressure’s on,” he laughed.
He’s also got the Black Rock Icebergers behind him – 20 current members have successfully made the swim.
“The knowledge base there has been fantastic and the support has been unbelievable,” he said.
Mr Hoffman made contacted with Pugh, who has mentored him through the experience, and his daughter Amber quizzes him about his efforts when he gets home from training.
“I’m accountable to my six-year-old daughter,” he said.
“She’s my conscience.”
His wife Wendy, son Austin, 3, and friends are also right behind him.
And he needs the support – he’s swimming up to 15 hours a week and has piled on 12 kilograms to keep warm in the 15-degree channel water by eating six healthy meals a day.
Throw in driving to and from training and work and he has time for little else.
“As the swim’s got closer your life narrows and narrows,” he said.
“It’s taking a massive amount of time from my family.
“I’m looking forward to tucking my kids into bed.”
But the swim isn’t all about him. He’ll be raising money for StarBright – a learning exchange program supporting AIDS and HIV-affected orphans in Cape Town’s slums and shanty towns.
“I was going to do the swim either way,” he said.
“The funding for the swim has come from my own pocket. Any donations will go straight to StarBright.”
Mr Hoffman will arrive in Dover, England, on 22 July. The swim from England to France is 34 kilometres in a straight line.
“The challenge you have is the current is pushing you sideways,” he said.
This could push the swim out to 50km. He’s only allowed to wear goggles, a cap, and speedos and isn’t allowed to touch his support boat.
Crew members will throw out containers attached to a rope with fruit tubs, white bread honey sandwiches with the crusts removed, lollies, bananas, chicken noodle soup, and drinks.
“It’s 26 years in the making,” he said.
“I’ve probably visualised it a hundred times.”
What will achieving that dream feel like?
“I don’t know. I’ve given it a lot of thought and you don’t know,” he said.
Mr Hoffman couldn’t rule out another extreme challenge in the future.
“I’m really focussed in on this one,” he laughed.
“But never say never.”
Visit www.paulschannelswim.com or www.starbright.org.au for more information or to make a donation.