Profile

Anna Wardley, 31, was born and bred in Sheffield and grew up surrounded by the rolling hills, reservoirs and sheep of the Peak District. Growing up on a farm with an outdoor swimming pool heated by the ‘Northern Sunshine’, she has been accustomed to swimming in cold water from a young age.

Anna inherited her love of the sea from her father Ralph, who she lost to suicide when she was nine years old. Her childhood summers were spent sailing with him, her mum Barbara and brother Robert on their 28-ft wooden yacht Algipug first on the River Humber and later in the Mediterranean.

Anna studied for a degree in Journalism and Philosophy at London’s City University and her career as a journalist took her around the world working for media organisations in New York, Argentina and Hong Kong in addition to London.

Anna is a big fan of gooey chocolate cake, Argentine red wine and long weekend lie-ins under her goose down duvet. Her quest to swim the Channel means she is unable to indulge in any of her favourite things for the time being. Instead, she is putting up with some of her least favourite things including getting up at 6.00am to train and drinking fizzy water in the pub.

Anna is now Head of Communications for Clipper Ventures Plc, the international marine events company, based in Royal Clarence Yard, Gosport. Her job involves promoting the company’s events, the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, Zapcat Racing and the VELUX 5 OCEANS solo race.

Anna was a round the world crew member on Hong Kong Clipper in the Clipper 2002 Round the World Yacht Race. She ran the Flora London Marathon in 2005 and swam round Brownsea Island in Poole Harbour in August 2005. Anna’s solo Channel attempt will be the toughest physical and mental challenge she has faced to date.

.