Channel challenge The caption under the photograph read:  Geoff Evans and Steve Payne are scheduled to set out on a swim across the English Channel today.

               —Story by Troy Dodds

Two local residents will give up the comfort of the Penrith Swimming Centre, a facility they have used for years, to swim across the treacherous English Channel, with their adventure scheduled to begin today, weather permitting.

Steve Payne and Geoff Evans have been in training for the mammoth task and will have to get used to colder water than they usually swim in.

For Steve, he is hoping the saying third time lucky  proves a charm, given he has fallen short in his previous two attempts to swim the Channel. In 2004 he was forced to stop due to bad weather, and a valiant attempt in 2005 was halted after seasickness stopped him 33 kilometres into the swim.

"I'm really confident this time but I'm a little apprehensive as well, as I know how tough it can be," Steve said.

I've trained a little differently this time. I've done a lot more ocean swimming and I've been doing longer sessions."

Geoff is making it a family affair with his family also making the trip so that his wife Annette can act as handler, and children Brett and Larissa can swim parts of the journey with him.

Steve said it will be interesting to see how Geoff handles the swim given it is his first attempt at the famous trek.

"He's in for a massive learning experience – there's no doubt about that," Steve said.

"So much happens so quickly and he'll learn a lot about long distance swimming you just don't know until you take it on."

Steve expects the swim to take between 12 and 16 hours but said it's not about the distance, it's about the conditions one faces during the swim and how suddenly things can change.

"It was bigger than I thought it was going to be," Steve said of the first time he attempted to conquer the Channel.

"The conditions change really quickly and the conditions you start with aren't what you necessarily end with.

"Mentally you get really tested. It's cold, you're sore and you just want to get out but you really have to talk yourself out of it and remind yourself that it will all be worth it in the end."