People have been drawn to the challenge of swimming the English Channel since the first recorded attempt. In this book, venerated sports writer, author and Channel swimmer John Goodbody celebrates the 150th anniversary of Captain Matthew Webb's first successful crossing in 1875 by telling his story and those of many of the outstanding men and women who have achieved the feat since, as well as those intrepid individuals who failed – or even died trying. Compiled with research from publications, academic journals, newspaper archives and extensive interviews, these stories tell of the heroic feats, the triumphs, the failures, the deaths and the frequent controversies as men and women have battled across the Strait, defying rough seas, storms, jellyfish and treacherous currents.