Cape Town Teen Aims to Become Youngest South African to Swim the English Channel
Eighteen-year-old Amber-Rose Berry is on the verge of making history as the youngest South African to swim the English Channel between France and the United Kingdom. The freezing crossing promises to be no picnic, but Berry plans to make her mark. Cape Town Etc reported on the swimmer’s ambition.
Berry will attempt the crossing later this month, with her swim scheduled to take place between 21 and 27 August. She will be subjected to unpredictable weather, tides and sea conditions throughout the attempt.
A Familiar Name in Cape Town’s Open-Water Community
For Cape Town’s open-water swimming community, Berry is already well known. She previously became the youngest woman to complete a solo crossing of False Bay, swimming approximately 34 km from Miller’s Point near Simon’s Town to Rooiels under the auspices of the Cape Long Distance Swimming Association.
Now she is preparing for an even greater test of endurance. Starting from Dover in England, Berry will aim for the French coastline. Powerful tidal currents mean swimmers rarely finish exactly where they intend: while Cap Gris-Nez is the traditional target, many successful crossings end further along the coast near Calais.
The English Channel is widely regarded as one of the world’s premier endurance swimming challenges, owing to its cold water, unpredictable weather, strong currents and heavy shipping traffic.
The Toughest Challenge of Her Career
Berry is about to face the most significant challenge of her career. The Channel’s waters will still be freezing at this time of year, and she will need to navigate large waves on the route from Dover to Cap Gris-Nez or Calais, swim where tidal currents are lowest, and avoid hazards such as sudden swells and rocky shores.
Given her previous experience in False Bay, Berry will need to be well prepared for changing conditions. Water temperatures during her attempt are expected to sit between 17.50°C and 17.74°C, according to seatemperatures.net.
In many ways, the unpredictable weather and terrain of the English Channel make it the perfect counterpart to False Bay, so Berry should already know how to prepare. Her hope is to inspire others, especially young aspiring female swimmers.
SA Swim Champions Return Home From Glasgow
In a standout performance for South African aquatic sport, the national swimming team returned from the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, on Saturday. They came home wearing gold, silver and bronze. The 25-athlete team won 22 medals, more than holding their own against countries with far greater resources.
The team’s strategy of sending swimmers in their prime paid off, and sets the sport up well ahead of the Olympic Games in two years’ time.
Van Niekerk Defends Her Title
Lara van Niekerk typified the fighting spirit in the team. She defended her 50-metre breaststroke title after once considering quitting the sport due to health concerns.
“My build-up was not smooth at all, but each little obstacle that I had to overcome just made me stronger, and I think in the fifty finals the stronger person was going to win, and I knew it. I knew the person that wanted it more was going to win it, because all the girls were so close to each other and a fifty is so technical. One little, small mistake and you say bye-bye to that medal,” says Van Niekerk.
Competitive professional swimming is one of the toughest disciplines in sport, and the Commonwealth Games in Scotland proved no different. The team management committee chose to send athletes in their prime. That decision reflects the trust South Africa’s sports management places in experienced talent. Van Niekerk and her teammates showed they could compete with the best.
Eyes on Los Angeles 2028
Attention now shifts to the next Olympic Games in Los Angeles, California. How South Africa prepares its athletes will shape its medal count. It could also lift the team’s overall standing. South African swimmers, including Amber-Rose Berry, will be hoping to carry this momentum toward the 2028 Games.
