Chloe McCardel’s 20th Channel crossing takes record from Des Renford

Chloe McCardel has beaten Des Renford’s record for the most successful Channel crossings by an Australian.

Chloe McCardel after completing her 20th Channel crossing. Picture: Facebook

Marathon swimmer Chloe McCardel battled a sea storm and some of the biggest waves of her career to complete a 20th crossing of the English Channel yesterday, overtaking Des Renford’s record for the most successful crossings by an Australian.

McCardel, 31, set off from Dover at 3am Saturday (1pm Saturday AEDT) expecting a sea state of force one or two but a storm whipped up and she had to contend with two-metre swells for more than 10 hours.

However, the Melbourne swimmer said the record-breaking swim was her most enjoyable and she had allowed herself the luxury of relaxing during the final hour and to savour her ­accomplishment. “I was getting pelted but I just thought ‘I am so glad I wasn’t on the (support) boat’, as it was rocking from side to side. I think I got the good end of that stick,’’ she said.

“The English Channel is so fickle I normally don’t let down my guard, but for the last hour I knew I was going to make it and I was waving to the crew and I wanted to make sure the little kangaroo and flag was sorted at the finish. I had a bit of fun at the end. I am so excited to have ­broken the record.’’

Renford, from Maroubra in Sydney’s south, sparked Australia’s interest in English Channel swimming with a series of crossings in the 1970s and 80s.

But McCardel has swum the Channel seven times in the past few months to exceed his tally of 19 crossings.

Renford’s son Michael congratulated McCardel yesterday on her achievement.

“It was always going to take a very special endurance swimmer to break Dad’s record,” he wrote on social media.

“You showed very early on in your Channel swimming career that you were potentially going to be that swimmer. So very happy and proud that your dream is now a reality. Something tells me this is just the tip of the iceberg.”