This year, Aspire has made Solent swimming even better, with more choices and a bigger challenge.   To keep up with demand Aspire will be giving swimmers a number of exciting variations to swim the Solent, offering swims from Gosport to Ryde, Ryde to Gosport and for those who want to take on the ultimate Solent challenge, a two-way swim. 

2016 dates:

30^th July: swim one way across the Solent in either direction (Fort Gilkicker, Gosport, to Ryde Sands, Isle of Wight, or Ryde Sands to Fort Gilkicker)

13^th August: swim one way across the Solent in either direction (Fort Gilkicker to Ryde Sands or Ryde Sands to Fort Gilkicker)

10^th September: two way crossing (starting at Fort Gilkicker only)

24^th September: swim one way across the Solent in either direction (Fort Gilkicker to Ryde Sands or Ryde Sands to Fort Gilkicker)

To book your place for this fabulous open water swim, email [email protected] or call 020 8420 8951.  All swims are escorted by RIBs (rigid inflatable boats) and kayaks and wetsuits are optional. 

Over the past three years Aspire’s Solent swim series has grown in popularity and established itself as one of the “must do” events for the open water swimmer looking to take on a more ambitious challenge.  Since 2013, over 100 Aspire swimmers have successfully crossed this iconic stretch of water. The 2 1/2 mile challenge is achievable for most swimmers and we have had many swimmers for whom the Solent has been their first major open water swim. This year Matt, who was on our first Solent crossing, will be attempting to solo the Channel and last year a group of Year 8s from Taunton Preparatory School, swimming for Aspire, became the youngest ever successful Solent swimmers.   You can never tell where a swim with Aspire will lead you!

Aspire started offering fundraisers the opportunity to swim across the Solent to the Isle of Wight in 2013 and, since then, over 100 people have successfully crossed the Solent with Aspire.  The 2½ to 3 mile challenge between Fort Gilkicker and Ryde Sands is very achievable for most swimmers and last year a group of Year 8s from Taunton Preparatory school became the youngest ever successful swimmers.  Over the past three years Aspire’s Solent swim series has grown in popularity and established itself as one of the “must do” events for the open water swimmer looking to take on a more ambitious challenge.

For 2016, for the first time Aspire is offering three different options for swimmers: from the mainland to the island; from the island to the mainland, or, for those swimmers who want to take on the ultimate Solent challenge, a two way Solent swim.  

­ Brian Carlin, CEO of Aspire, comments: “Swimming the Solent is one of Aspire’s leading open water challenges and so we are delighted that this year, due to popular demand, we are able to offer Isle of Wight residents the opportunity to swim to the mainland.  Every eight hours someone is paralysed by Spinal Cord Injury; it can happen to anyone at any time and no one is prepared for how it will change their life.  Each year, thousands of people swim to raise funds for Aspire through the variety of swimming events we offer, which enables us to continue to provide and expand the services we offer to spinal cord injured people, helping them move from injury to independence.”

Click here to find out more about swimming the Solent with Aspire.