Athlete dies attempting Arch to Arc Channel Swim

Sad news from an iconic triathlon challenge

Horrible news to be reporting today, via the KentLive website: British endurance athlete Douglas Waymark has died attempting the Arch to Arc Challenge. After becoming unwell during the Channel swim late on Monday evening, he was airlifted to the William Harvey Hospital in Kent and later died.

Doug was a very experienced ultra-endurance athlete, completing many iron-distance events including IRONMAN UK, IRONMAN Wales and The Outlaw. Two years ago he completed the ‘continuous quintuple’ iron-distance at the Enduroman Festival. He has also climbed Everest and many of the world’s highest peaks.

DOVER: A man in his 40s, named by friends as Douglas Waymark, died after attempting to swim the Channel last night. He became unwell midway. pic.twitter.com/GCOEMxZWBm

— Kent 999s (@Kent_999s) August 8, 2017

The Arch to Arc Challenge was initiated in 2001 when Edger Ette completed the challenge in 81 hours and 5 minutes. The event comprises of the 87 mile run from Marble Arch to Dover, the Channel swim to the French coast and then the 181 mile cycle from Calais to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. More details on the event can be found HERE.

Our sincere condolences to the family, friends, colleagues and club mates of Douglas at this devastating news.