Lauriane Bonnamant is happy, and she can be: she has managed to swim across the English Channel, which she accomplished in exactly 11 hours and 12 minutes.
A time to stand on the beach of Audinghen (Pas-de-Calais), both feet well anchored in the sand, and raise the arms in the air to stop the clock, that Lauriane Bonnamant from Cherbourg, went this Tuesday 21st August, 2018, from the cliffs of Dover. It is from here that the adopted to swim from the foot of the cliffs at Samphire Hoe beach at 6:30 am to cross the Channel Sea in free swimming.
“The nerves that let go”
The young woman accomplished this feat in exactly 11 hours and 12 minutes . She still had time to kiss everyone who came to congratulate her on arrival, and to cry with emotion. As she explains:
“The end was a bit long. We see the French coast and we do not arrive. Ten minutes appear two hours. There is nervousness and then it’s the nerves that let go.”
She also admits that the last few days have been trying. It must be said that until the day before the departure, she did not know if it was going to allow her to take off, because of the weather conditions which were not favorable.
The sun to greet her arrival
Moreover Lauriane Bonnamant left under a grey sky, foggy, and with a little swell:
“It was like that on a good half of the crossing. Then there were small thunderstorms, and the nice weather on arrival. I would have been so disappointed to arrive at night and at Cape Gris-Nez, in the cliffs and pebbles, where people would not have been there for the arrival.”
Lauriane Bonnamant can be proud of the achievement, after two and a half years of training:
“I’ll do it a bit later, but I’m glad I did it.”
