My name is Vicki Watson

In 2010 I decided to join my husband in training for triathlons, which meant that I had to learn to swim again. For years I had avoided putting my face in the water, and my first sprint triathlon, which started with a 400m pool swim took over 13 minutes to complete! From initially hating the first discipline swimming has become my favourite thing to do.

Since then, I have competed in long course triathlons, in the UK & abroad, swimming in rivers, lakes and the sea. I particularly love swimming in the cold water, as it makes me feel alive and free. After working in the NHS as a Mental Health Nurse for many years, I decided to change career, making sure my life work balance is weighted with life and adventures. Now I am working with the Swim Sista Swim initiative in Nottingham teaching Black women to swim, coaching open water swimmers and triathletes, observing English Channel swim attempts as well as being involved in my own adventures such as being part of the first official 3 female relay team

Meeting Caroline over 10 years ago changed my life. With her, and my other ladies, we have travelled the world, creating and breaking world records by swimming some of the hardest oceans in the world, two ways, in a relay format, adhering to channel rules of only wearing a costume, hat and goggles. It turns out that I can swim for an hour at 11 degrees Celsius, through blooms and blooms of lions mane jellyfish, but I still get scared jumping off a boat!