Dear Swimmers
In case you missed it, here we are (below video link) on Channel Ten: our 2mins02s of fame! ;-)
I'm really happy with the feature but just given the usual editing constraints unfortunately when we discussed how important our respective support teams were in the event has sadly been chopped, however, without a doubt I owe my personal success in this event to (please excuse me for this sounding like an Oscar's acceptance speech but A) these people need to be thanked and B) I'm fully cognizant that I might not be in this fortunate position again for a while, if ever!):
Amanda (lead paddler and the most awesome person you could hope to have as your left-hand woman: she knows what to say and when to say it! I have forged the most amazing friendship with this beautiful person in the last 3 years that when she said she'd come all the way to New York and paddle for me off her own back it blew my socks off and meant the world to me!)
Adam (team captain and my best mate: ironically enough the day before during a practice session Adam commented somewhat sarcastically in response to my over-quick times "at the rate you're going you'll win this event!"...little did we both know...)
Evan (navigator extraordinaire and the man who said "you've got this" just before I started the event, which given his experience, made me believe for the first time that perhaps I could!)
Barrie (the best boat pilot on the Hudson River! I still owe this man a drink from the Gallagher Trophy - that's a big sup!!)
Hannah (my observer - a great girl who kept Adam's nerves at bay when it looked like Lochie might close in on me in the Hudson)
Shelley (for being such an amazing inspiration that I even tried to humbly copy her stroke - and it worked! Brilliant mental training advice from the toughest "digger" of them all!)
Mish, Jackson & Isla (for being my biggest support crew in the lead up to this event and everything else that I do: to come home to the balloons, streamers and posters like I did was amazing! They're still all up!)
Grandma Rose (as mentioned in my race day acceptance speech she was my best friend and biggest "fan" and who's waited 10 years since her passing to have a win dedicated to her by her only grandson)
Mum & Stevie, Dad & Catherine, and Sheryl (my family - for believing in the podgy little kid from Bridlington Swimming Club and his dreams of one day swimming channels and other such weird bodies of water)
...and finally:
You guys and girls in the Perth Squad (for taking an interest in what I personally do when I'm not stood on pool deck cracking the whip! Thank you so much for allowing me this opportunity!)
Here's the link:
http://youtu.be/qK9-yUhZ6K4
And if you're not sick of hearing about it all yet, I will be on Nova FM radio station today (Thursday 18th July) at 9.15am taking through it all with Nathan, Nat and Kelly.
Cheers
Paul
