More people have climbed Everest, or gone into space, than have completed this challenge. At the end of last year only 262 women had ever achieved it.

My challenge is to get from Shakespeare beach, or Abbotts Cliff, in Dover to Cap Griz Nez in France following the rules of the swim. Although this is a solo swim, it is a team effort. I will be supported by the pilot and his crew plus my own team, both on the boat and back on land.

"Do I feel the pressure? Absolutely! But as someone once said, 'Pressure is just the reflection of your ambition.'"

I hear many other people who are attempting this describe it as a life-long ambition. For me, that’s not the case. I only really started ‘proper’ swimming in 2000, when I joined Masters. My coach helped me develop from a 'head out of the water' swimmer to someone facing this enormous challenge. In 2005 I was part of a channel relay. It was then that the seed was sewn. This year 3 Guildford masters from that relay attempt a solo.

The Start

We will start at the marina in Dover and, once everything is aboard, we will motor out of the harbour entrance, turning right towards Shakespeare beach or Abbott’s Cliff. The journey from Dover marina to Shakespeare beach takes about 15 minutes and approximately 35/40 minutes to Abbott’s Cliff.

I may be a bit nervous at that point! I will already have applied lots of suntan lotion, and about 5 minutes before the swim, someone will get the delightful task of greasing me up - I can’t do this myself for risk of getting grease on my goggles.

The pilot will get very close to the water’s edge, turn the boat around and I’ll jump in. Once I’ve got to shore and cleared the water, I’ll turn round, raise my hand and wait for a whistle or klaxon and then I’m away.

The Finish

At the end of the swim the pilot won’t be able to come as close to the water’s edge as he did in Dover. He will stop and turn the boat around about 200 metres off the French shore. He will either launch a dingy to retrieve me or allow one or more swimmers to accompany me in for safety (behind me obviously!) and back to the boat.

If I end up landing right on Cap Gris Nez by the rocks I will have to scramble to a standing position clear of the water (see David Walliams' finish last year on the BBC documentary). I reckon it could take me as long as the swim to actually get clear of the water!

After the swim there will be lots of tears and emotion, but, really, you will need to pull yourselves together and those on the boat need to make sure I get warm and dry as soon as possible!

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For more details of Emma's challenge and her training, visit http://www.emma2france.com

To support Emma on her amazing challenge by sponsoring her, please visit http://www.justgiving.com/emma-channel-07