Latest news with #AmyWamsley
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Local woman to attempt English Channel swim this week
A local woman is preparing to swim the English Channel this week. Amy Wamsley is from Yellow Springs and, according to her social media, went to England earlier this month. Wamsley is expecting to swim the channel this week, but the exact timing is variable. Advertisement [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] 'Not tonight!' Wamsley posted on her social media. 'I call again tomorrow 6/2 at 7:30pm to find out if we go! This is going to be a rollercoaster… time to enjoy the ride!' Wamsley's goal is to swim the English Channel for her 50th birthday, a goal she decided on when she was 12-years-old, according to her website The site says she is swimming to support women's body image as well as water conservation. TRENDING STORIES: Wamsley will be attempting to swim from England to France, which is over 20 miles of open water. 'We envision a movement where women, inspired by Amy's courage and determination, embrace their own potential, overcome societal barriers, and contribute their unique perspectives to their communities,' Wamsley's website says. Advertisement For those wishing to follow along with her journey, Wamsley is posting updates on her Facebook and will be tracking her swim across the channel. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Yellow Springs woman preparing to swim English Channel
YELLOW SPRINGS, Ohio (WDTN) — A Yellow Springs woman is getting ready to do something that fewer than 2,000 people have ever done successfully. Amy Wamsley is preparing to swim across the English Channel, and she's doing it right before her 50th birthday. 'When I was 12 years old, I decided I was going to swim it before I turned 50,' says Amy. 'It's important to me to live this goal.' Amy has been in England since about mid-May to practice in the channel and get acclimated to the water. 'I feel very connected to water. So, I like to swim because I feel connected to water,' states Amy. 'I feel very calm there. I like being in my own headspace. So it's meditative, and I like the challenge.' Her window to swim is based on the tide. It opens May 30th and runs until June 10th. 'You have what's called a pilot, which is your boat captain, and they watch the current and then they call you. You get about 10 to 12 hours' notice in that window to get in the water. So, you have to be prepared at all times in case they call,' describes Amy. For more than a year, she's been training in pools and other bodies of water. 'I've swam at Central State. I've swam here at the Springfield Y, different locations. But ultimately, I like to be outside,' admits Amy. 'I swim at Caesar's Creek, Cohen Lake, Buck Creek, Michigan, Lake Michigan, near Chicago. I do that a lot, actually. This past summer, Lake Erie. And then I go out to California. So, I swim in the San Francisco Bay and La Hoya Cove,' says Amy. 'I do swim in the San Francisco Bay because it's the closest water to the English Channel based off of how the currents change. So I've been swimming there a lot.' Last year, Amy hired a coach to help her turn her childhood dream into a reality. 'It's not easy. What I'm doing is not easy. It is. It is hard. And so, it's nice to challenge myself and see how far I can push myself and where I can go. And almost every time I'm out in San Francisco, I go farther, I swim stronger. I can just tell that I am stronger than I ever thought I was,' says Amy. She's previously taken on the waters of Alcatraz, areas around Catalina, and the San Francisco Bay. Swimming for hours every week, she expects this roughly 20.5-mile swim to take her around 15 to 20 hours. 'I'm already further along than I ever thought I'd be. I'm already going to put my feet in the English Channel. So, if I'm already going to put my feet in the English Channel, I've already won. I've already gotten further than most people ever get. And so, getting to France, it's going to be so hard. But I know I can do it. I have full faith that I can get there,' says Amy. 'In the end, if you want it, you can do it.' Amy says there are risks and obstacles involved like motion sickness, hypothermia, and stinging jellyfish. She has an entire crew with her to help keep her safe and monitor her health while she's in the water. Following her swim, she's already making plans for her next challenge. 'I think once I conquer the English Channel, I will be looking at Catalina,' states Amy. To track her journey, click here. Amy also started a nonprofit called Amy's Swim Venture. It focuses on water conservation, as well as women empowerment concerning body image and aging. To learn more, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Fundraiser planned for local woman swimming English Channel
YELLOW SPRINGS, Ohio (WDTN) — A local restaurant is holding a fundraiser to help a woman who's planning a major swim overseas. Amy Wamsley has been spending her time in the pool and other bodies of water as she prepares to swim the English Channel. It's a dream she's had ever since she was a kid, and now she's making it a reality. She's been training for the 20-and-a-half-mile swim for more than a year. Not only is it quite a feat, it's also an expense, as Amy has an entire crew going with her in May to help keep her safe and monitor her health while she's in the water. 'I would love to get my team out to California, get them trained. That's going to take a couple days. We've got to get back here. We've got equipment, things like that. And then all three of us have to get over to England. I have to start training May 14,' describes Amy. 'They're giving of their lives to save mine. And so, I truly feel like the least I can do is try to raise money to get them over to England and France to pay for this. It's my dream. It's not their dream. They're just kind enough to help me make it come true.' Amy is looking to raise $18,000 to cover the cost for her crew. A fundraiser will be held Saturday, April 12 at Peach's Grill at 104 Xenia Avenue in Yellow Springs from 2 p.m. until midnight. There will be music, raffles, and a 50/50 drawing. Money raised will go to Amy and her team. 2 NEWS Anchor Kelley King sat down with Amy for an interview and to watch her train. In a few weeks, as part of our 'Tell Me Good News' series, you will hear more about Amy's journey and the training process, as well as what she'll be up against when she gets into the water. Click here for more information. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.