By Leicester Mercury | Posted: 14 February, 2014
A firefighter is preparing to swim the Channel in memory of a former colleague who died of cancer.
Frenchman Cyril Abadie, 46, who hails from Toulouse but lives in Enderby, is a fire safety officer at Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service's Birstall headquarters.
He will be fulfilling a pledge made to friend Dave Guilding, from Leicester.
Dave, who worked with Cyril at Central station, in Lancaster Road, Leicester, died in December 2010, aged 48, after a long illness.
"He was a close friend and colleague," said Cyril.
"Before he died, I promised him I'd swim the Channel in his memory."
Cyril aims to raise £2,000 for Cancer Research UK and LOROS hospice, which cared for Dave in his last weeks.
"I visited him every day and everything about the place impressed me," said Cyril.
"I was shocked the hospice relies entirely on donations."
Cyril will pay for the cost of the crossing – about £3,500, including hiring a pilot, boat and support team – so every penny donated will go to the charities .
"I've been training for 18 months and competed in several events between May and October during the open-water season," he said.
For the past few months, he has been training at Stoney Cove Diving Centre, and Stanton Lake jet ski centre, both in Stoney Stanton.
Enderby leisure centre has offered him free membership to swim and train. Weather permitting, Cyril will set out from Dover for Cap Gris Nez, near Calais, in the first week of September.
The distance is 22 miles, but with tides and currents, the actual swimming distance will be up to 28 miles.
Cyril believes it will take him about 16 hours.
His swim will not be sanctioned by the Channel Swimming Association as he will be using a wet suit.
"To qualify, you've got to do a six-hour continuous swim in water of 16C or below," he said.
"The problem is, you need to gain at least one-and-a-half stone of fat. I only weigh 12 stone and simply couldn't put the weight on, which made swimming in the cold too tiring."
The last attempt at the crossing by a Leicestershire swimmer ended in tragedy last summer, when Barwell's Susan Taylor died from heart failure.
"It is dangerous but I will be fully prepared," said Cyril.
"I know my limits and if I don't feel right I will stop – but I'm confident.
His partner Karen Wooton, 46, a fitness manager at Enderby leisure centre, lost her husband, Terry, to cancer, aged 50. "He died at LOROS just weeks after Dave," she said. "But out of sadness comes good. Everyone is behind Cyril."
Adrian Walker, senior fundraiser at LOROS, said: "Everyone at the hospice wishes Cyril a successful and safe trip."
Debbie Fitzgerald, of Cancer Research UK, said: "We are incredibly grateful to Cyril for undertaking this amazing venture and we wish him every success."
For updates and to make a donation, visit Enderby leisure centre on Facebook.
