Published: Thursday, 14th August, 2008 9:15am

Swimmer warms up for English Channel challenge with a swim round Jersey

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WEST FIFE swimmer Andrea Gellan decided to go for a quick dip while on holiday in Jersey last week – and ended up swimming around the entire island.

The 51-year-old InCAS president is only the second Scot to swim the 41-mile course round the Channel island and completed the job in 11 hours 7 minutes.

Andrea, of Comely Park, Dunfermline, was treating it as a warm-up to her next attempt to cross the English Channel, which is scheduled for July next year.

And mum-of-three Andrea, the current Scottish veterans" champion for open water swimming, even had the chance to enjoy some scenery.

'There were lots of castles which I could see as I went along,' she said. 'I was just doing this as a training swim so I was a lot more relaxed. I was just out to have a good time.

'I thought I would do it in about 12 hours so I was really pleased.'

Andrea"s previous attempt to swim the Channel last September ended in heartbreak when she had to give up after 10-and-a-half miles when the tides turned against her.

Although the Channel is about half the distance of last week"s swim, it is in much more open water and has stronger tides.

Her family was hoping to have a holiday away from her training but when they decided on Jersey, she couldn"t resist the challenge.

She got in touch with the Jersey Long Distance Swimming Club and set the swim up.

'My son and niece went out in the boat and the rest of the family went round the island in the car to see the sights – but not from my perspective!'

Looking ahead to her next assault on the Channel, she said, 'I"m feeling a lot more confident. I think I will definitely do it this time.'