Qatari Team Cross English Channel

France, July 22 (QNA) - A Qatari team has managed to cross the English Channel for the first time in the history of Qatari sport by successfully swimming across the British coast to the French coast, which is considered as one of the biggest athletic challenges in the world. The team, which comprises seven amateur Qatari athletes, managed to swim a distance of 48km in 16 hours and 34 minutes. The challenge started from the port of Dover on the British coast, before ending on the coast of Wissant on the French side, between the cities of Calais and Poulan. Since 1875, only about 1,500 swimmers and 765 teams have succeeded in crossing the English Channel, one of the world's busiest waterways, with more than 800 ships and ferries crossing every day. Some are calling the challenge of crossing the channel the "Mount Everest" of open-water swimming, given the other risks swimmers face, such as low water temperatures, strong sea currents, wind, waves, oil stains and jellyfish. What makes the Qatari team's success in crossing the channel more memorable achievement is that all team members are not professional athletes. (QNA)