The IJsselmeer Bikkels succeeded in their intention to complete the Channel Crossing in a Dutch relay record. Webmaster Richard Broer, Hans Peter Hartog, Ralf van der Poel, Ron van der Harst, Roel de Hoop and Marcel van der Togt did the distance in relay form in 8 hours and 57 minutes. That was over a half hours faster than Haagse Bluf (with Jan van Daalen and Paul van Scheijndel) in 1969. They had a time of 9 hours and 29 minutes on the clock.

Richard Broer said about the circumstances: "They were pretty reasonable. We were lucky with the tides. Of course there was swell, but it is rarely perfectly flat. Water temperature 17 degrees. But the satisfaction was high when the youngest of the bunch, Hans Peter Hartog finished. Richard Broer, Ralf van der Poel and Hans-Peter Hartog took every extra hour on their behalf. For Van der Poel it was hard, because he suffered from seasickness. But a Bikkel(=rock) never gives up, was his personal command to himself.

The start was last night at 03.03 hours and the finish was exactly 12.00 hours.

The relay consisted in order of swimming of:

Richard Broer
Ralf van der Poel
Hans-Peter Hartog
Ron van der Harst
Roel de Hoop
Marcel van der Togt

The route and the averages:

Read more in Dutch on http://ijsselmeerbikkels.noww.nl