Angikar finished in Heidelberg 9/11 around noon

Angikar finished in Heidelberg 9/11 around noon

First of all: HUGE CONGRATULATIONS – to Angikar and the whole team!

Just a few glimpses for now – more to come.

Sept. 6: swimming on the best swim day of the year in unbelievable conditions – looks like liquid silver (click for video):

Swim-Sept-6

 

 

Heidelberg Castle

A very happy Angikar with the Serbian flag – and Heidelberg Castle in the back

 

More photos  of the swim → here

 

 

 

 

Being busy with many other things, Angikar`s training had actually been quite limited – mainly to swimming. However, his absolute faith – and the inner and outer support from friends and teammates all over the world – carried him through.  One “mantra” or idea that inspired and helped Angikar right from the beginning tremendously, was a quote by his meditation teacher Sri Chinmoy:

Peace Tree Heidelberg

Angikar with local and main helpers, finishing at the Ethnological Museum at the Gingko Peace Tree planted in 2001 with the current mayor of Heidelberg

Peace Tree Ethnological Museum Heidelberg

Two EC-Triathlons: Dover-Aachen 2010 (right), Dover-Heidelberg 2014 (left), and 4 EC solos and 3 EC relays in one photo

We are all truly unlimited,
If we only dare to try
And have faith.
Sri Chinmoy

Interestingly, to the day 29 years ago, back in 1985, after our first two team members successfully swam the English Channel, Sri Chinmoy commented:

“Yesterday`s impossibility has surrendered to today’s reality. But this reality also has to be transcended… Self-transcendence is a very special kind of perfection in the Heart of our Beloved Supreme.” – Sri Chinmoy, Sept. 11, 1985

 

Finished our Channel-Triathlon in Aachen on Monday afternoon (Ärmelkanal-Triathlon Dover – Aachen, 3.-6. Sept. 2010)

Finished our Channel-Triathlon in Aachen on Monday afternoon (Ärmelkanal-Triathlon Dover – Aachen, 3.-6. Sept. 2010)

“Today’s impossible dreams
Tomorrow give birth to
Not only possible
But also inevitable realities.” – Sri Chinmoy

Photo-Gallery (you can click on slide show mode on the left):
https://gallery.srichinmoycentre.org/germany/Channel-Triathlon/ 

 

Just briefly – full story to come:
Dover-Aachen Ärmelkanal-Triathlon

Dover-Aachen

After my successful second Channel swim (non-wetsuit!)  on Sept 3rd (16 h 50) – 25 years after my first one –
and some rest we made it from Calais via Brussels to Aachen (arrived Monday, 6th, afternoon) – about 300 km or more biking (some detours) and 2 marathons and are safe and happy back home in Heidelberg. It was easier than expected (or feared) but took a bit longer for several reasons. A great event, though, and a great training experience for the final big one before my 60th birthday, hopefully!

Here some impressions:

with Mareike at Oye-Plage past Calais on the way to Gravelines

with Mareike at Oye-Plage past Calais on the way to Gravelines

Hondschoote near the Belgian border

Hondschoote near the Belgian border

at the Peace Tree in the Leopolds Park at the European Parliament in Brussels

at the Peace Tree in the Leopolds Park at the European Parliament in Brussels

Start of the 85 run behind Tienen, 60 km behind Brussels, after about 3 hours of rest

Start of the 85 run behind Tienen, 60 km behind Brussels, after about 3 hours of rest

First marathon done! I cannot believe how easy it feels!

First marathon done! I cannot believe how easy it feels!

Running into Vaals

Run-walking into Vaals

End of Vaals Netherlands - beginning of Germany!

End of Vaals Netherlands – beginning of Germany!

Almost there....

Almost there….

Entering Aachen

Entering Aachen

Aachen2

I had not intended to carry the World Harmony Run torch all the way through the city to the Europe Square (Europaplatz), but my friends made me

"Dead" between the "welcome" flowers at Europaplatz

“Dead” between the “WELCOME” flowers at Europaplatz

Our Mini-Team

Our Mini-Team

The last leg

The last leg: driving back to Heidelberg

Collateral damage

Collateral damage (without the blisters the whole thing would have felt unreal – too easy, no other pain at all!)

Many thanks are also going to my friends at the WAVES Restaurant in Heidelberg for their superb vegetarian food, and to Europcar Heidelberg, Mr. Plitzko, wo was extremely helpful again in providing us with a support van.

‘The fullness of life lies in dreaming and manifesting the impossible dreams.” – Sri Chinmoy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fotos of the swim

Link to all reports of September 2010

WE MADE IT!

WE MADE IT!

THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR ALL YOUR GOOD WISHES, ENCOURAGEMENT, PRAYERS AND CONGRATULATIONS!

Approaching Cap Griz Nez

We made it in 16 hours 50 min 58 min – thanks to Eddie, my amazing pilot and crew and Ann-Carin, super-enthusiastic, competent and positive helper!

Landed right on the Cap in the dark, felt like sacred Channel swimmers ground! Was not sure till the last half hour whether currents would not have us do a couple of more hours and whether I would be able to make it qt all. But I felt strong till the end, the water was almost warm towards France, and air temps were up during the day and even the early night in France was balmy (last nigh had been freezing I believe).

Now hot bath, some sleep and on….

Here some more photos of the big day – the weather gods were definitely with us!:  Photo-Gallery (you can choose slide show mode on the left)

Morning Sun

Rising morning sun

Into the first shipping lane -from the water I actually did not see that many ships

Swimming

Feeding

Feeding

The weather gods were with us!

South-west shipping lane
France visible in the back!
Getting closer by the hour

Getting closer by the hour – but will we make it?

Celebration!

The German flag is flying at the Ridge - yeah!

The German flag is flying at the Ridge – yeah! Thanks Evelyn and Dave!

Dover training 2, family birthday and back to Dover again

Fr. 13th at midnight I boarded the Euroline bus again to Dover. We arrived late on Sat. morning, and the Dover Regatta was on, with swimming only allowed until 12 p.m. on Sat and Sun – so much for a last long swim!
In spite of horrible weather forcasts it rained only occasionally, more of a drizzle, and the sun came actually out quite a lot!
So I did 2 hours on Sat (was extended to 1 p.m.), gave Freda her Zurich lake T-Shirt (she had asked for one and liked it a lot!), did 5 hours on Sunday, then 2-3 -5 from Monday to Wednesday. Wednesday night I took the bus back. 2 hours of running up to Varne Ridge and over the cliffs with big blisters at the end – my feet have become tender for not running much lately!

Celebrating my father`s 75th birthday

The weekend of 21st/22nd I went to see my parents near Nürnberg – my father was celebrating his 75th birthday and was happy and proud I was part of it (most of the guests new about his adventurous daughter and many approached me about my swimming of course).  It was a hot weekend again and getting to swim in a (crowded) pool was out of the question. To my big surprise I still got a nice swim in on Sunday – we drove for an hour to a huge lake which I had not really been aware of as so great for swimming (Großer Brombachsee). The water was nice and cool (19/20°C), clear, and the distance to the other side and back was 5 km. I got two hours in and some fooling around with my nieces. My sister had joined my parents and myself with her kids and thy used the opportunity to get a little crawl coaching.

Tomorrow at midnight I will board the bus again to Dover. The last neap tides had been horror for swimmers and pilots – wind, wind, wind – not a single swim. The forecast for next week leaves a little bit of hope: from Wednesday on the wind might calm down a little. But you never know. The weather in the Channel can change overnight.

The helpers for my van are ready to go from Wednesday on – only for the swim I have no helper yet. I am not particularly worried,  since it has happened repeatedly with friends that their helper was useless anyway (“feeding the fish” most of the time), but I will have to keep asking around.

By the way, my goal for this year, if I make it across to Calais, will only be Dover-Aachen. Distance-wise it is about the same distance as Vedika did in 1998 from Dover to Paris – the original vision that emerged back in 1985 right after the first two successful Channel swims in our team – by myself and Adhiratha. It feel good to only have a “small triathlon” ahead – room for transcendence in a few more years. Dover-Heidelberg is still in my heart – an old dream that one day will manifest, I am sure.