Varsity cross-Channel swim ends in dead heat

Mr Martin Davies (left) and Mr Andrew Fargus, part of the Channel-swimming team

After battling through the choppy waters of the English Channel for more than nine hours, the first Oxford and Cambridge cross-Channel relay ended in a remarkable tie. The 21-mile race, from Shakespeare Beach to Cap Griz Nez, was declared a dead heat, with both teams being awarded the official time of nine hours and 25 minutes by the Channel Swimming Association—and the honour of completing the first successful crossing of the English Channel this year. Oxford University Swimming Club issued the challenge to draw attention to the fund-raising campaign to build the first University swimming pool. To date £1 million of the total £2.4 million needed has been raised. The event was sponsored by the global investment bank, Credit Suisse First Boston. Mr Martin Davies, Captain of OUSC and a postgraduate student at Balliol, said: `It was an amazing finish, we could not see them. We knew it was very close because we radioed our finishing times at exactly the same moment.' He added: `My view was that if both teams finished it would be a success. But to finish within seconds of each other, after more than nine hours racing, is an extraordinary result.' Six competitors from each team swam a leg of the race, which set off at 5.05 a.m. on Thursday 16 July. It is hoped that the next Oxford and Cambridge cross-Channel race will take place in July, 2000.