The Henley Swim, home of the Henley Classic, the now iconic sunrise swim along one of the most famous and beautiful stretches of river in the world, the Henley Royal Regatta Course. This year it was postponed so three die-hard endurance competitors who are currently training for their London to Amsterdam cycle challenge thought they would try the unofficial downstream version.

THE HENLEY CLASSIC is a 2.1 km endurance upstream River Thames swimming event, held very early on the Sunday morning before the Wednesday start of Henley Royal Regatta. So undeterred Catie Blundell, John Nicklin and Dave Webster owner of Webster Consulting dived into the water at 5.30am to complete the challenge in 45 minutes. “The last time I swam” Nicklin said “was from Alcatraz”. Blundell and Webster looked at each other and thought he was joking or exhausted after completing the swim, however realised he was being serious. He later told them over a well deserved breakfast he had not escaped from the infamous Federal Penitentiary it was just another endurance event he had done in the past.

Listed in the Top 100 swims in the world, the early morning start is just one of the features that makes this a truly unique must-do event for anyone who enjoys the thrill of open water swimming…