Farmington Hills woman becomes first Michigan woman to complete solo swim across English Channel
Posted: 08/22/2011
FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. (WXYZ) - A Farmington Hills woman has become the first Michigan woman to complete a solo swim across the English Channel.
Jenny Birmelin, 34, began the 24-mile nautical swim (28 land miles) off the shores of Dover, England just after 4 a.m. on Saturday. She reached the French shoreline around 3:30 p.m. the same day.
Her official recorded time is 11 hours, 31 minutes and 7 seconds, which is nearly two hours faster than her anticipated time.
Birmelin swam through water temperatures that average 59 degrees Fahrenheit and encountered strong currents and jellyfish on her historic trip.
Birmelin reported on her blog that she is feeling sore but exhilarated for reaching her goal.
Copyright 2011 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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