Dover's Sarah Philpott becomes first English female to complete British Triple Crown of open water swimming after successful North Channel bid

Sarah Philpott has become the first English female to conquer the original British Triple Crown of open water swimming.

Philpott, from Dover, had recently swam the Bristol Channel, having already completed the English Channel swim in 2020, and now has the full set after she swam the North Channel between Northern Ireland and Scotland.

There are many risks with this swim.

Cold water is the significant factor, the water is colder than any other marathon swim challenge.

Blooms of the world’s largest jellyfish - the lion’s mane - come a close second. With tentacles reaching 4m in length, the sting delivers an agonising shot of pain.

Swimmers must also battle against strong currents and pass over crevices 1,000ft deep in order to safely reach Scotland.

Philpott’s solo North Channel attempt commenced on the morning of August 8 on a rocky outcrop in Donaghadee, Northern Ireland.

She entered the water and was immediately greeted by an abundance of jellyfish, small and large. Her crew would loudly blow a whistle to warn her of any jellyfish on a direct collision course and there were several near-misses.

After three hours, the constant stream of jellyfish dissipated, the water remained calm and Philpott was able to relax into a smooth stroke. Her crew of Jane Murphy and Erica Fogg worked hard to keep Philpott fed and watered and, by the six-hour mark, she was halfway across the channel.

But her hopes of a quick finish were shortlived as the wind picked up, creating choppy waters and constantly blowing the boat off-course.

By the 11th-hour mark and with the wind still high, Philpott had been stung across her forearms by jellyfish.

She describes how the pain motivated her to persevere, saying: “On every swim, I write the words ‘Per