Navy divers complete 500 kilometre run and swim to help prostate cancer sufferers

Navy divers took part in a gruelling six-hour physical challenge in and out of the water to raise awareness of prostate cancer.

Some 43 frogmen from across the Fleet Diving Squadron leapt into Horsea Lake in Portsmouth – their main training pool – from a 7.5m diving board, used their fins to propel them for 100 metres on the surface, then clambered out of the water, removed the fins and ran 400 metres.

And they repeated it 25 times. Each. So that’s 2½ kilometres in the water and the equivalent of a 10km run per diver – or 100km swim and 400km on foot in total.

Three circuits, as they are known, are a mainstay of training at the diving squadron’s headquarters near Port Solent.

 “It was less about raising money – although we’ll gladly take donations – the real aim was to raise awareness of prostate cancer,” said Leading Diver Lewis ‘Soapy’ Watson.

“Three circuits alone are gruelling. To do 25, that really was tough.”

The team started their super-circuit challenge at 10am on August 31, with the average diver completing their individual dive-swim-run in about two hours.

The divers were aided by a strong support-team and put in an outstanding effort, completing 1060 circuits in 5 hours and 45 minutes, raising a total that currently stands at £1120.

You can make a donation to support prostate cancer research via https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/RN-Fleet-Diving-Squadron