In early July 2022 former WO2 PTI Paul Wood (Woody) and swimming partner Neil Aggett (Aggy), both from Torbay, will be attempting to do an epic 30-mile sea swim challenge along the southwest coast of Devon.
Paul and Neil will be taking on the challenge under the umbrella of the Royal Marines Commando 80 campaign. sees us commemorating a major event in the life of the Corps, the 80th anniversary of Royal Marines taking the Commando role.
Just as during the 350th Birthday of the Royal Marines and the 1664 Challenge in 2014, the Corps has decided to mark the occasion by running the “Royal Marines Commando 80 Challenge” which will also encompass the Falklands 40 celebrations and commemorations.
Starting 15 miles from the home of the Commando Training Centre at Lympstone, the pair will be attempting to swim from Sidmouth to Broadsands in Torbay.
Inspired to raise funds for RMA – The Royal Marines Charity through the Royal Marines Commando 80 Challenge, Woody & Aggy’s challenge will also be raising awareness of our Lifting The Lid Campaign, which seeks to promote positive mental health within the Corps family.
In tandem, they will also be promoting the ‘Stop Drowning’ campaign, a movement run by the Above Water charity, which promotes and educates the public on water safety in our sea and internal waterways throughout the UK. With proven mental health benefits of open water swimming, the alignment is a natural one.
The cumulation of the 30-week Commando basic training is the 4 Commando Tests – the 9-mile speed march, the Endurance Course, the Tarzan Assault Course and the gruelling 30 miler. We have taken the most enduring basic military train test in the world, The Commando 30 miler, and flipped it from Per Terram to Per Mare. This challenge could take us up to 24hrs of nonstop swimming, just stopping to refuel.
Learn more about the challenge by visiting: https://rmatrmc.enthuse.com/pf/paul-wood