Isle Of Wight Swim Team Dive Into Final Push For Island Games

The Isle of Wight’s swimming team is gearing up for the 2025 International Island Games in Orkney this July and their team manager, Gavin Muncaster, is going the extra mile to help them get there. Literally.

After completing the London Marathon in April and Europe’s Toughest Mudder in May, Gavin will now face the ultimate endurance test: World’s Toughest Mudder, a brutal 24-hour obstacle course taking place for the first time in the UK, at Belvoir Castle, Leicestershire, over the weekend of 28–29 June.

The course features extreme challenges including ice-cold water, high-voltage obstacles, and unforgiving terrain, all in a continuous loop for a full day and night.

Gavin’s incredible efforts are part of a wider fundraising mission to support the Isle of Wight swim team’s journey to Orkney, helping cover travel and competition costs.

His fundraising page can be found here.

While Gavin battles mud, ice and fatigue in Leicester, the team of nine dedicated young swimmers will be taking on a challenge of their own; a sponsored swim totalling over 48 kilometres, representing the combined ferry crossings from the Isle of Wight to Orkney.

Their JustGiving page is here.

The Island Games Swim Team representing the Isle of Wight is:

Isobel, Will, Skye, George, Mylea, Harry, Grace, Ben, and Inara

All of whom have trained relentlessly over the past 2 years for the honour of representing their island at an international level.

“These young swimmers have shown incredible dedication, often training before school, evenings, and across weekends,” said Gavin.

“It’s been a real privilege to be part of their journey. Competing at the Island Games is a huge achievement, and I’m proud to support them however I can even if that means crawling through ice and mud for 24 hours!”

The team, along with Gavin and Head Coach Val Guard, will travel to Orkney on 10th July with the wider Isle of Wight squad, competing against teams from 23 other islands across the globe.

The Island Games are a unique international sporting event, often referred to as a ‘mini Olympics,’ giving athletes from smaller islands the opportunity to compete at a high level and represent their home with pride.

Please show your support for our swimmers and their unstoppable coach by donating to their fundraising pages and helping them make waves in Orkney this summer.