Meet our Guides
Meet the fantastic team of guides who bring your SwimTrek experience to life.
Sally McGrath
Swim History Before SwimTrek
I've always loved being in the water, whether I'm alone or part of a group, cold or warm water, rivers, seas, lakes, I'll be in! I was part of a swim club in Brighton from a young age and I've worked in travel for a active holiday company in Europe, swimming in some beautiful waters around the world. I've taken part in some open water swimming events, such as the Dart 10km and Bosphorus Cross-Continental Swim.
Locations Guided On
Bosphorus Cross-Continental Swim - Turkey, Hellespont and Dardanelles, Greek Sporades and Ionian Explorer
Most Memorable Swim Moment
Always taking the opportunity to get in the water, I loved swimming in the freezing cold fjords of Norway while the sun was setting into the mountains. I will never forget swimming in the last mile with Ross Edgley in 2018 after he had swim around the UK, the atmosphere in Margate was electric!
Top Swimming Tip
Swim your swim and enjoy your swim. Don't feel pressured to be going as fast as anyone else. Just work on your own stroke, make it the most efficient for you.
Interesting Fact
Once I hitchhiked on a sailing boat for 3 days along the English south coast.
Sarah Huntley
Swim history before SwimTrek
I loved swimming as a kid and remember spending most of my summer holidays in our local pool! I then swum with Hailsham Swimming Club until my teenage years. I re-discovered my love for swimming whilst at university, and played waterpolo for a few years which was great fun. I took up triathlon after graduating from university, and raced up to Half Ironman distance, before deciding to focus on open water swimming. I compete in events up to 10km and completed an English Channel relay swim in August 2018. In 2019, I went back to multi-sport, and raced in the Aquathlon Age-Group World Championships in Spain. Now, I swim for fun and just love being in open water, whatever the weather!
Locations guided on
Lake Bled Slovenia Alps & Ionian Explorer (Sivota, Greece)
Most memorable swim moment
This was during the English Channel relay swim in 2018 - I was lucky enough to be swimming a leg just as the sun was setting. It was an incredible feeling to be out in the middle of the Channel, feeling the last of the sun's warmth on a beautiful August day. I had to pinch myself to make sure it was real and not an elaborate dream!
Top swimming tip
Often in swimming it can become all about racing, results and outcomes. In my day job as a sport psychologist, I encourage people to think about why they swim, and their motivation for doing so. More often than not, it's about the intrinsic enjoyment of being in the water and the physical and psychological benefits gained from spending time in nature and also in water. Sometimes, I have to remind myself just that - swimming for swimming's sake is enough of a reason to swim.
Interesting fact
I am currently converting a Mercedes Sprinter van into a new home - and look forward to spending next summer making the most of being a digital nomad - combined with guiding on a few SwimTrek trips too!
Shaun Challis
Swim history before SwimTrek
As a kid all I did was swim! Competing for Brighton and Sussex in the pool and open water led me to Masters swimming as an adult where I have broken several British, European and a World record in Masters relay events in the pool. I qualified for the GB age group team 5 years ago and have been competing for GB in aquathlon ever since, medalling at both European and world championships. I continue to compete in masters swimming, swimrun, surf lifesaving and anything else water related I can find! I have been coaching swimming, SUP and beach lifeguarding for several years, my passion is in the water!
Most memorable swim moment
Swimming at the aquathlon world champs off an island in Denmark, on the start line about to dive in there were thousands of jellyfish in the water, so many they were almost touching each other. Made for a painful swim!
Top swimming tip
Relax! Swimming is about efficiency. The more relaxed you are, the more efficient you will be. The more efficient you are, the further you can swim with less effort.
Interesting fact
I have run 2 marathons and hiked the 100mile south downs way in full firefighting kit.
Sian Williams
Swim history before SwimTrek
I re-found my love of swimming and open water when I did my first triathlon in 2008. 6 Ironman distance events later, looking to improve my own technique and help others, I qualified as a swim coach and teacher.
Locations guided on
Montenegro, Croatia Dalmatian coast, Croatia Kornati St Kitts and Nevis, Lithuania, Burgh island, River Thames, Greek Ionian explorer, Greek Cyclades, Greek Sporades, Milos, Crete escape,Crete Discovery 10k training camp, LDT, Tenerife, Slovenia Malta and Maldives
Most memorable swim moment
This should probably be landing on the rocks in France after my Channel crossing! Other special moments include enjoying the peace, tranquility and beauty of nature in the River Dee. Spending lots of quality father-daughter time as my father kayaked for me on many of the BLDSA swims. Crying in to my goggles during the Zurich crossing when I was convinced I wasn't making any progress and of course night diving with Mantas in Hawaii.
Top tips would be
Set yourself a goal to keep you motivated to train
Stay safe! I love my red float for open water swimming
Record your progress
Interesting fact about you
My first language is Welsh. I love cooking and have a passion for locally sourced ingredients. In the winter months I love to ski.
Simon Murie
A solo English Channel Swimmer and swim coach, he still guides on some of the tours himself. Continuing his swimming adventures around the world, in 2009 Simon swam across the River Volta in Ghana and broke the Australian record for swimming across the Gibraltar Straits; in 2010 he swam to the Isle of Wight. He spends a lot of his time now scouting for new SwimTrek locations.
Simon founded SwimTrek, after spending many years organising open water swimming trips for himself and others. Originally from Australia, Simon lives in the UK and prior to SwimTrek, was working overseas in the mining industry.
He was introduced to open water early by both his mother and father. His most memorable open water swim was the Hellespont in Turkey, which he first completed in 2000.
Tasmin Powell
Swim history before SwimTrek
I started swimming in the sea with the Jersey Long Distance Swimming Club (JLDSC) at 8 years old, gradually spending more and more time in the sea around the stunning beaches of Jersey. My first taste of open water swimming came at 12 swimming around Jersey in a relay, then moving onto a solo swim 3 years later. In between I also swam Lake Coniston and the English Channel in another relay.
The next couple of years was spent crewing for a number of English Channel swims, including a successful double Channel, round Jersey and Jersey to France swims, spending a lot of time in a kayak. Then in 2015 I also swam from Jersey to France, with what appeared to be half the worlds population of jellyfish standing between me and the French beach.
Most memorable swim moment
My most memorable moment has to be during a particularly tough hour of my Jersey to France swim one of my crew fell spectacularly into the water while handing me a new set of goggles.
Top swimming tip
My top tip, having taught children to swim, take it back to basics, if you’re not blowing bubbles you’re not breathing right.
Interesting fact
I have a Fine Art Degree and love to knit and crochet.
Tim Whitefield
Swim history before SwimTrek
My deep connection with the ocean began as a young kid growing up on the beaches of Durban, South Africa. Endless summers spent surfing or being hurled about in the shore break has left an indelible mark on me and as a result I have spent most of my life either in the sea or on it. I work as a RNLI beach lifeguard as well as operating a water sports adventure company, based in Cornwall.
Locations guided on
Cornwall, Outer Hebrides and Greece Cyclades.
Most memorable swim moment
There’s a lighthouse in Cornwall which has a cave that runs through it. Only accessible at spring low tides, it’s home to packs of seals, almost pitch black with a very small underwater hole as an exit. To return to the shore you have to beat the racing tide or be swept down the coast…epic!!!
Top swimming tip
Relax and enjoy the ride.
Interesting fact about you
If I could surf everyday, I would.
Trina Requena
Life before SwimTrek
Growing up on the South Coast, Brighton, meant that the Ocean was a big part of my life. My father apparently threw me in at Croyde Bay, that was my intro to swimming! My love for the water has taken me on a journey with its ever changing beauty, whether surfing, swimming , diving or simply just being. The Ocean is my refuge, my temple! I left for New Zealand to become a yoga teacher in 2000. I trained as an Iyengar teacher and over a period of nine years, travelled and lived in NZ, OZ and time in Indonesia. I began to see the incredible connection to swimming/surfing and yoga. I came back home to Brighton where I started up Ocean Spirit Swim School. Teaching children and adults of all ages. Along side Yoga mixing the two and developing a programme of these two essential disciplines. The combination of Swimming and Yoga has brought me an awareness of not only myself but how I teach and how I live my life on a daily basis and the environment I find myself in. It is with this knowledge and passion I want to translate to all I meet.
Swim & Yoga Holidays
I have guided on Swim/Yoga Crete and Lithuania. With many more destinations on the horizon!
Most memorable swim moment
Being six months pregnant with my son, swimming on the South Island where I lived, a little place called Kekerengu on the coast, edge of the pacific, dolphins joining me on my daily morning natural swim, the local Mauri,s say the dolphins sensed my pregnancy! Special, special moment…
Top Swimming Tip
Swimming and Yoga together creates a beautiful swimmer who glides effortlessly and becomes one with the water. My ethos Effortless Effort whether land or sea. Become one with the water…
Interesting fact about you
I was late to see his Holiness the Dali Lama so security rushed me in and I had to sit down in front of him, as I sat down he looked me in the eye and smiled squeezed my arms, my son laying across my heart , he had a smile that filled his whole being!! From then on my practice is to never rush, stay present, stay mindful. Live life to the full, focus on what matters and let go of what doesn’t.
Vicki Linton-Crook
Swim history before SwimTrek
Competed from a young age at national level and progressed into Masters in the last 8 years. I have been consistently ranked in the top three in freestyle and backstroke events over the last few years. Now a GB records holder in 800m & 1500m freestyle, World record holder in 4x100m ladies freestyle relay, GB record holder in 4 x 50m ladies freestyle relay. 3 times European record holder in 4 x 200 ladies relay. Once I tried open water swimming, I got hooked wining the 1500m Windsor River swim and Adur River swim, but there is nothing better than a chilled swim with friends. In 2015 I swam the Gibraltar Straits clocking the 3rd fastest female. It was an amazing swim. In my spare time I love to coach, my aim is to help each individual achieve what they want to achieve with their swimming.
Locations guided on
Croatia, Greece, Malta, Thames, Jurassic Coast, Burgh Island, Loch Ness!!
Most memorable swim moment
Swimming in Lake Garda. Every time I breathed to one side I could see the view down the lake and the amazing mountainous setting, it was magical. A special time as I was swimming with all my friends and my husband was in the safety kayak.
Top swimming tip
We’re all different, find the things you need to work on to make the most of your swimming. Mine are to breathe out and hips up!
Interesting fact
When not swimming or swim coaching I might be found on a mountain bike.
Ray Smith
Swim history before SwimTrek
I was an adequate club swimmer as a youngster, but that stopped when I was hit by a car and spent some time in a wheelchair. I returned to swimming many years later and had some moderate success in open water races between 3k and 10k. However, being more enthusiastic than talented, I needed to improve my technique which took me to a variety of coaches and eventually into coaching itself. There's no better way to truly understand something than by trying to help others with it. The journey towards true understanding is never ending, but very much worth undertaking. For a bit of adventure I moved on to colder water and longer distances and this led me on to an ice mile, three English Channel relays and a Channel Solo.
Most memorable swim moment
Surprisingly, it's not the Channel or the Ice Mile - they were long, cold, uncomfortable and uneventful. Just as I had planned. I have much more vivid memories of the times I have encountered wildlife. Most memorably, the time I bumped into another swimmer while sea swimming and stopped to apologise, only to find that no one was there - but there was a huge Barrel Jellyfish wider than me! He accepted my apology and we parted friends.
Top Swimming Tips
On long leisure swims: Relax and be mindful: Swimming is better when you relax - easier, faster and more fun. Remain aware of what you are doing and be your own internal coach. On Challenge swims: Remember that 'This too shall pass' and 'Success is on the far side of discomfort' - so as Churchill said: 'If you are going through Hell, Keep going'
Interesting Fact
I'm currently exploring the world of self-supported swimming by towing small boats.
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