Gaurvi Singhvi English Channel solo swimmer aged 16

Dream, work hard, believe and do not cheat.

Congratulations to the extraordinary Gaurvi Singhvi, a 16 year-old swimmer who successfully swam the English Channel solo today 23 August in a time of 13 hours and 28 minutes.

Gaurvi Singhvi EC Solo swimmer

Gaurvi Singhvi EC Solo swimmer

Serpentine SC's youngest English Channel soloist

Singhvi, a Serpentine Swimming Club member, is now the youngest member of the club to have swam solo across the English Channel. The previous youngest member was Nick Adams who first swam solo to France in 1993 aged 16, when just a month shy of his 17th birthday. Gaurvi will celebrate her 17th birthday in February 2020. Adams achieved his swim in 14 hours and 12 minutes. 

Serpentine Crew

Adams who has now swam across the English Channel 15 times, was part of the support crew on Optimist that witnessed Gaurvi’s feat. The other crew members included Serpentine SC members Deirdre Ward (two EC solos, and one two-way swim of the EC), and Kevin Blick (three EC solo swims).  

Deirdre Ward and Nick Adams

Deirdre Ward and Nick Adams

Kevin Blick

Kevin Blick

Mum and Dad

Gaurvi also had the special company of her Mum and Dad Shubh Singhvi, and Abishek Singhvi. Her coach Mahesh Paliwel was also on board.

The Optimist escort boat was piloted by the steady hand of Paul Foreman and his team including Jason Kelvin

Gaurvi celebrates with Shubh Singhvi, and Abishek Singhvi

Gaurvi celebrates with Shubh Singhvi, and Abishek Singhvi

Paul Foreman

Paul Foreman

Swim route to France

Swim route to France

Gaurvi's Gateway to France

But back to the young Gaurvi Singhvi from Rajasthan, India. Gaurvi had spent many of this summer's months preparing for her swim by training with Serpentine SC. 

In 2017, the young lady from Udaipur swam 37 kilometres in the offshore Mumbai waters from Sea Link near Worli Koliwada to the Gateway of India in a time of six hours and 35 minutes. An impressive swim for anyone, let alone a 14 year old. 

Gaurvi is now the 29th swimmer aged under 17 to have swam the English Channel solo. She becomes the eighth Indian swimmer to have ‘crossed the ditch’. 

It is a privilege that Gaurvi has joined our club, and clearly her inspirational mantra of "Dream, work hard, believe and do not cheat" is one we can all admire.

Gaurvi Singhvi Twitter

[Text John Tierney]

[Images Nick Adams and Kevin Blick]

[Channel Swimming & Piloting Federation]

 

Map route of Gateway to India swim by Gaurvi aged 14

Link to 37km Mumbai swim by Gaurvi when she was 14 years old.  

(This shows a Google map of the area, not the actual swim route.)

Ted Youth Talk by Gaurvi Singhvi