thank you everyone for prayers, sending energy through universe and financial support. You helped me prove limits can be pushed and Hongkongers can overcome the fear. 

The preparation was stressful due to the current coronavirus situation. Extra travel expenses were needed due to weather change in Channel.

In March, I was clinically proven to have the covid-19. I was grateful that I recovered just 3 days with light symptoms at home. While I was locked down at home for 28 days, I wasn’t sure how the training and travel will happen. I didnt even have the budget. But I decided to take the English Channel challenge. I moved the training from swimming pool to open water. I believed the universe would make me the way.

About the swim itself, it was much more difficult that I expected. The total swim time was 13h 55m. Total swim distance was at least 54km. At 4th and 8th hour, I vomited twice. All the food and drink were gone to the ocean. I continued to swim with empty stomach with sea sickness. At 4th hour, I had the biggest crisis. I didn’t see the dawn yet. I had both side upper and lower legs all cramped. I had fear that my body couldn’t make it for 10 more hours. I considered how much physical effort made, spiritual support and financial support by others, I had to push through. After 8th hour, the sea was still calm and I didn’t meet any jellyfish. Piloting was the best by Stuart Gleeson. All natural and external factors were perfect. I couldn’t justify if I quitted because of my self physical condition. I felt cold in the dark with seasickness, doubtful mind, painful shoulders, cramping legs. After the vomit at 8th hour, I knew I must finish this swim. After 10th hour, with my pre-scientific understanding of the tide, I knew I must give the full power to exit the strong tide and land France.

I missed the Cap Gris-Nez in France that would have given me the shortest distance. I need to swim 1-2 hours more to exist in Wissant. I luckily got the tapped power from the universe to push through the tide and exited in Wissant. Otherwise, it would be 3-4 more hours swim 15km to Calais. My challenge might have been failed. My coach is the legend. It was like a motivational youth movie. He kept telling me ‘Go Go Go CK. Full power like 50 meters!’ in the last 3 hours. 

After 10th hour, I told myself it is time to sprint. Used all my energy to go all-in.

My adrenaline was high enough to ignore the pain, stomach issues and deformed tongue. It was the moment to embrace the victory after all the pain, suffer, sacrifice. The Hong Kong history was made. Unratified swim time was 13 hour 55 minute.

 Final call! Tonight 1 September 2020 11pm UK time. I will start swimming from Dover. Start with 6 hours dark swim overnight. then all the way to France hopefully within 14 hours. Watch my LIVE GPS location tracking will be: https://www.channelswimmingassociation.com/pilots/sea-leopard

Send energy to me through the universe. I will swim at full moon. Actual swimming distance will be 50km. 17deg celsius water. Countless stints from jellyfish.

Updates with videos and pictures are on my ‘Hong Kong Ice Flyer’ facebook page by my team.

Thank you all my great friends and Pok Oi Hospital Director board for sponsoring.

#Hongkongiceman #borntoswim #englishchannel #englishchannelswim #lamanche #swimming #openwaterswimming #longdistanceswimming #ows #marathonswimming #Dover #channelswimming

9th day in Dover. In high chance, my swim will start on Tuesday in the early morning. I can see France here on the cliff. It doesn’t look far away. 34km straight line. One day, the sea can be rough. Another day, it can be calm. A right moment is needed. Visualize it.

#Hongkongiceman #borntoswim #englishchannel #englishchannelswim #lamanche #swimming #openwaterswimming #longdistanceswimming #ows #marathonswimming #Dover #channelswimming

[English Channel: England -> France] This is how it looks like in Channel on 25.08.2020. Fear was built up a bit after seeing how powerful the sea was. Now, waiting for a possible time slot to swim across it. It requires luck.

#Hongkongiceman #borntoswim #englishchannel #englishchannelswim #lamanche #swimming #openwaterswimming #longdistanceswimming #ows #marathonswimming #Dover

Day 2 in Dover. Updates will be made on Facebook first :)
Had a meeting with my pilot Stuart Gleeson. After two days here experienced the wave and the infinite skyline, some negative thoughts started. Some worries about the weather and swim conditions were built. Channel swimming seems to be a lesson for me to break away the overthinking side of a scientist. Over-interpretation of data can kill us. 90% of our life isn’t up to what we expect. You just need to open your arms and enjoy it. Learned from Stuart Gleeson and Rostislav Vitek today. It isn’t my job to worry about weather. My only job is to be brave and open to enjoy every single stroke in sea.
#Hongkongiceman #borntoswim #englishchannel #englishchannelswim #lamanche #swimming #openwaterswimming #longdistanceswimming #ows #marathonswimming #Dover

Most updated news is on my facebook page:

www.facebook/makchunkong

Feel grateful that my team and I arrived Dover yesterday after hours of traveling. First day: easy swim. Feel the wave, salt and water temperature. Visualize how to reach France even though you are not able to see France while standing on Dover. Wind is strong now. Now, be patient and wait for swim. Thank you my support David Keňa, coach Rostislav Vitek
#Hongkongiceman #borntoswim #englishchannel #englishchannelswim #lamanche #swimming #openwaterswimming #longdistanceswimming #ows #marathonswimming #Dover

[Road to English Channel] Believe in destiny. 6 years ago, I sat in front of my computer probably with some alcohol in Germany. I had the worst physical condition in my life after surgery on left knee. I read about how people can swim across English Channel. I thought that was crazy. How can people overcome the ultramarathon distance, cold water and financially feasible at the same time? I just set this idea aside. Life and destiny guide me to be here over years. When you think you need conditions A, B and C together to accomplish a task, in reality, all the conditions A, B and C can never happen together right in front of you. When you have A and B, u don’t have C, and vice versa. Only when you decided to go ahead for the goal, you will have all the conditions A, B and C happen!
Picture: Have my Holter 24-hour heart monitor right traveling to UK. Make sure my heart is alright.

#Hongkongiceman #borntoswim #englishchannel #englishchannelswim #lamanche #swimming #openwaterswimming #longdistanceswimming #ows #marathonswimming @_borntoswim_ #believer #dreamer #holter

Next Friday, I will flight to UK to prepare the challenge. Swim will be on 26 August - 1 September 2020.

[Road to English Channel] There are many reasons not to do a task. But you only need one reason to do a task. My only reason is "I want to". Based on the pure passion, I just give justification to myself with two "reasons". "Reason 1": I want to demonstrate that Hongkongers can achieve what we have been fighting for. We dare to risk our life to dream big. "Reason 2": Two years ago, my great dude Kamil and I, in a trip to support coach man Rostislav Vitek's 2 way English Channel, decided to found Born To Swim International Limited in Hong Kong. Sadly, Kamil passed away in April 2020. I decided to hit to the Channel with coach man. I will be able to feel Kamil's spirit.

Sports, to me, is a mixture of art, emotion and science together. With only scientific facts, you can't get through challenges. You need belief and courage to be successful.

Picture: Balance my scapula at home with my newly installed TRX system on balcony. from @anna.k.l.c

#Hongkongiceman #borntoswim #englishchannel #englishchannelswim #lamanche #swimming #openwaterswimming #longdistanceswimming #ows #marathonswimming @_borntoswim_ #believer #courage #challenge

The English Channel crossing swim is now confirmed to be on 26 August - 1 September 2020. ????Luckily, water/air temperature will be a bit warmer and with 2 hour more sunlight time. Last week, I finished a 6-day swimming training camp by Rostislav Vitek and plus 2-day weekend races of 3km, 5km and 10km under strong wind and wave in Lipno, Czech Republic. Finalizing the physical condition.

1. Make the training flexible and personal. Be water. Adapt to the situation we have. In the previous 2.5 months, swimming pools were not opened. I treated Brno Reservoir as a big swimming pool. The advantage is that water is colder than swimming pools. I started from 12 degree Celsius water until now 19 degree Celsius water over 2 months. It simulates the condition of English Channel a bit although the Reservoir is with fresh water instead of salt water.
2. Two months training has passed. Four more months to go before the Channel challenge. General strategy is to listen to my body. Recovery is an important part of training. I should avoid injury. After 2 months, the training will go to the peak with higher swimming amount.
3. Current training scheme is 6 days per week including 5 sessions of swimming and 1 session of TRX core training. There is always one hard training at weekend such as 4 hours in 13-degree water. Three trainings on weekdays are easy such as 1 hour in 17 degree water. Of course, all training are without wetsuit.
4. “There will be obstacles. There will be doubters. There will be mistakes. But with hard work… there are no limits.” - Michael Phelps

Photo from Wikimedia

1. Attach the video is from last Saturday when I successfully swam 6 hours continuously with short breaks in 16.0 degree Celsius water in Brno, Czech Republic. I am now qualified for English Channel. Next step will be a professional medical check-up including cardiovascular function by a sports doctor next Friday.
2. After isolation at home for 28 days, I have been training for the 5th week in cold water in lake. Distance amount has been increased.
3. This crowdfunding is extended to 31-August-2020.

1. Period on 6-14 October 2020 has been reserved with Pilot Stuart Gleeson. Deposit payment of £1000 has been paid. The exact date will be known upon arrival depending on the water condition.
2. Training camp in Ireland in the end of May 2020 was cancelled due to Wuhan virus. Budget is decreased down by HKD$10,000. The qualification of 6 hour swim in 16 or below degree water will be carried out in Prague, Czech Republic.
3. Lowered down the fundraising goal as HKD$30,000 on Fringebacker. If successful, admin fee from Fringebacker will be HKD$2700 instead of HKD$9000. Budget can be saved.
4. Based on above, budget has been readjusted from HKD$100,000 into HKD$75,000.
5. Outside this crowdfunding of HKD$30,000, more sponsors are being searched at the moment to cover the rest HKD$45,000.
6. Extended this crowdfunding project live for one more month, until 11 May 2020.