Four strokes, the English Channel, a hospice fundraiser and a world record. In September, Nik Haynes, Olly White, Ross Szender and Adam Tapp set a new world record for a medley relay crossing of the Channel. We catch up with Olly and Ross to hear the stories behind their swim.
And what stories! There’s a unicorn, giant jellyfish, a burning building and a bout of appendicitis — and that’s before we get to the tides and weather that can make or break any Channel crossing.
The team was supported by masters swimmer Heidi Bell-West, whose family DNA has a remarkable connection to Captain Matthew Webb, the first person to swim the Channel. Heidi was there to provide motivation, massage therapy and a steady hand amid the chaos.
Plus, Heidi joins Helen to round up some of the other intriguing Channel swimming attempts that took place around the same time the Devon Dads were making their way to France.
Visit the Devon Dads on Instagram @channelmedleyrelay2026. And visit @freestyle_media_swimming for video content.