Published: Thursday, 26th July, 2007 12:00pm

Channel swims KO"d by weather

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JENNIFER DAVIS didn"t manage to even get a toe in the water as her attempt at a world record crossing of the Channel failed last Thursday.

The 16-year-old, from Dalgety Bay, was the youngest member of the six-strong Scottish team which tried to claim the women"s relay world record swim.

And the terrible summer weather has also scuppered Andrea Gellen"s solo attempt to swim the channel and become the 18th Scot to complete the 22-mile route.

The 50-year-old Dunfermline mum was 'all greased up and in my costume' on Tuesday morning only to be told at the very last minute that the weather was about to turn again.

Jennifer"s team at least got started – after several delays – but the swim in the pitch black and cold waters of the English Channel was called off before she could break a wave.

Dad Tony explained, 'The fourth girl didn"t complete her swim as she was feeling the cold too much and they ended up taking her to the hospital.

'They were six or seven miles out at the time but it meant Jennifer and another girl never got to swim.

'She didn"t even get to find out what it was like in the Channel so she was disappointed but happy the girl was OK.'

He added, 'I think she would like to try it again some day but there might not even be a slot for next year.

'She"s probably thinking she"d like to do a solo attempt but not for a few years.'

The team had a week-long window in which to attempt the record – eight hours and 40 minutes and held by Spain – but bad weather repeatedly delayed their effort.

'It was basically the last minute they could have done it and they finally got a slot at 3am on Thursday,' Tony said.

'We were on the cliffs overlooking the beach where they were starting from and it was pitch black. We had to use our mobile phones to throw some light on the ground so we didn"t go too near the cliffs as it was a sheer drop. You could see the boat but that was about it.'

Andrea managed to get down to the water"s edge at 5am on Tuesday but told Press Sport, 'I"m a bit fed up as I got as far as being at the harbour and loading the boat, I was set to go and all psyched up when I was told we couldn"t.

'The forecast had changed to Force 7 to 8 gale force winds, which could mean 30ft waves, and the coastguard said no-one was going out as it wasn"t safe.

'It"s a bit depressing and I need to discuss the options with the boatman.

'There"s a chance I could go next week but the tides aren"t favourable and the forecast isn"t any better.

'I"m not keen on taking another week off work but I might be able to go later in the year, August or September, or next year.'

She added, 'I"ve been here since last Thursday and was supposed to go the next day but I have to phone the boatman at 7pm each night to check if it"s OK for the next day.

'It"s not been a holiday as the weather hasn"t been good, I can"t drink in case I"m swimming the next day so it"s not just barbecues and day"s out that"s ruined by the English summer – Channel swims are too!'