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1: Name-Albert(Alby)Bardoel
2: Age-48
3: Resides-Black Rock Victoria Australia
4: Swimming Highlights-Channel solo 2003
I have been lucky enough to see and swim with the great swimmers around the world and the one thing that stands out to me is that in this sport
They all treat you as equals whether can swim fast or slow, there are no egos.
Of the 6 Team Extreme members 4 have gone on to swim the Channel solo.
There are too many to mention but every year we travel to Rotto for the relay it’s a great trip.
5: Biggest influence and coach –My wife Virginia and swimming partner Yvonne Mooyman.
6: Swimming Idol-Dawn Fraser Olympic Legend
7: Pool or Ocean?-Ocean. It’s the best cure for stress ,hangovers and aches and pains.
8: How many kms a week - 25kms when in training for long swims but for now, about 10kms.
9: Longest swim and how many hours in the water-Team Extreme double channel 20hrs 59mins. Yvonne Channel 18hrs + and my solo 14hrs 43mins.
10:Favorite place you have swum - Portofino to Santa Margarita, Italy about 5kms.
11:Coldest place you have swum and temp-Wineglass Bay Tasmania not sure what temp but it was cold and Port Phillip Bay 6 ½ degrees C. I think that is 44f.
12:Roughest swim - Rottnest 2003. Wind 30+ knots wave height 4m. It is the only swim I have failed to complete, the rules were
changed after this swim. 7 boats sank in that swim and the 1st one was believe it or not was named Titanic. It took me 1 ½ hours to find my paddler and 1hour to find my boat. I can’t believe they let us go into that swim ,when we started a storm hit us and the start was delayed 4 times but what really annoyed me was that the organisers sent me a shirt 3 months later with “attempted” embroidered over the front. I was so fired up after this that I used this as a motivation for my Channel swim later on that year and didn’t I let them know. But I still go each year for the relay with my mates Terry , Harry, Lackie and Alex.
13: Swimming goals-To help in any way coach or mentor swimmers achieve their swimming dreams eg.. The Channel , cold water etc.......
14: What or who motivates you-I never want to die wondering.
15: How much is Physical%- 90% at the start and 10% at the finish. Mental 10% at the start and 90% at the finish this might sound strange but that is how I feel, but if you can get the 2 to work together then you should succeed.
16: Favorite saying-Accept the pain then enjoy the fame.
17: Biggest fear swimming e.g..cold jellyfish, sharks etc..Dark objects.
18: Swimming close calls-Rotto swim 2003 I was upside down with this boat on top of me and all I could was this prop spinning at the end of my feet.
19: Tips for other swimmers –The main ingredient to success is hard work.
20:What would you eat and drink during a swim-Anything that I can digest but main drink is maxim and food spaghetti and soup with rice cream for dessert and for
a real treat it would be chocolate but don’t forget the mouth wash.
21:Worst place you have swam-I swam across the Thames river in Richmond London for a dare after a big day in a pub . There was a big crowd egging me on and
I didn’t bring any swimming gear but I made it up and back in that water if you could call it that.
22:Worst injuries-3 months from my Channel swim I was given some terrible advice which led to my shoulder injury . I couldn’t freestyle that whole time but I was lucky enough to receive excellent treatment and recovered in time for my swim.
23:Favorite food,drink,music ,movie and holiday destination-
Food : Italian
Music: Rolling Stones and another group Jamiroqai.
Movie: A cat on a hot tin roof.
Holiday destination: Italy
24:What do you think of when you are in the water for hours-People that make me happy takes away the pain and people I can’t stand to get me fired up.
Concentrate on your stroke and think about the party when you are finished.
25:Where is one place you haven’t or would like to swim-In the world’s biggest pool with sunken cocktail bars , but I have been lucky to swim all over the world.
26: 3 people you would invite to dinner - My wife my children and my late father.
27: Cold water tips-Tortoise and the hare, to many people jump in and go flat out so take your time and slowly build up to a steady pace then maintain that same
speed and after a while you will slowly pick off the other swimmers.
28:Toughest competitor-Yvonne Mooyman she doesn’t know how to stop.
29:Diet and how much is weight a factor on long distance swims-I eat everything in sight and I don’t care what anybody says but the more weight the better chance you have , just ask most of the swimmers why they have failed. My good friend Jonathan Haywood just made it across in 2001 but can’t remember the swim at all. Due to hyperthermia. Jonathan went back and put on 25kgs over 2 years and swam the channel for the 2nd time without any problem now that is dedication.
30:Pet hate-Wet suits, jet skis, and people who can’t back up what they say, talk is cheap.
31: Biggest thrill- Landing on that tiny beach at Cap Blanc Nez France
32:Favorite sport besides swimming- Cricket
33:.Who would you like to sit next to on a plane-The pilot
34:.Car you drive-BMW X5 nothing else comes close.
35:.Next swimming challenge - I am coaching John Jameson from QLD for this year’s Channel in August and hope we will be drinking Moet Chandon somewhere
between Calais and Cap Gris Nez.
36:Occupation - Builder Midrock Constructions.
37: D.O.B- 5.9.59
Alby
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