Three years after swimming across the English Channel as part of a relay team of six Roedean girls, Clara has gone one step further – she has made the crossing from Dover to France alone.

The 21-mile crossing took her an unbelievable 12 hours and 56 minutes, which is faster than the 2022 team time of 13 hours and 13 minutes.  Unaffected by a two-day delay because of a propeller issue with her pilot boat, Clara, aged 17, set off in the early hours of Thursday morning, and she powered her way across the Channel, dealing with strong currents along the way, the worst off which are perhaps near the French coast.  This achievement is the result of hours of endurance training and cold water-acclimatisation in the build-up to the challenge. Reflecting on her journey to this success, Clara said:

‘The swim started 3 years ago straight off my relay when I said to my parents I wanted to do a solo. Finishing the solo was a dream come true. Motivation took the back seat determination was what helped me get through the harder times.’

Clara has always loved sports, especially netball and swimming, but it was at Roedean that she discovered sea swimming: ‘When I joined Roedean at 11, I was lucky enough that one of our teachers, Dr Hobbs, started up the sea swimming club and came up with the idea of a team crossing the Channel, and my enthusiasm for it all has just gone from there.’  That was the catalyst that led to her successful relay crossing in 2022, another relay attempt in 2024, and then this solo swim.  When asked why she wanted to take on this enormous challenge, Clara’s answer was clear:

‘I really enjoyed crossing the Channel the first time when we did it as a school team. I loved the challenge and really pushing myself. But I felt like it wasn’t enough for me to do it as a relay so I decided to tackle it alone.’

Not only has Clara achieved something remarkable, something which will stay with her for a life-time, but she has also raised over £8600 for Taylor Made Dreams, a local charity, which helps children with life-limiting illnesses. This charity has personal significance for her, and the valuable funds which she has raised will, no doubt, make a difference to the lives of many children and their families. The entire Roedean community is incredibly proud of Clara’s achievement, summed up perfectly by a former Chemistry teacher and sea-swimmer:

‘Never have I been so delighted to see a boat trace on my phone screen turn and head away from the French coast. You are now a Channel swimmer, and nobody can ever take that away from you! Congratulations. A truly inspiring and epic achievement.’