Super Swimmer Story: From Dock2Dock® to the English Channel for Georgia Dolan-Mould
What started as a nervous first 10k at Dock2Dock® became the beginning of an incredible marathon swimming journey. NOWCA Ambassador Georgia Dolan-Mould shares how that first challenge gave her the confidence to keep going further – eventually taking her all the way across the English Channel.
I owe so much to Dock2Dock, so when NOWCA contacted me asking if I’d like to take part in the 2026 event as an ambassador, I was so honoured. I jumped at the chance – and, of course, I had to go big and take on the 15km.
You see, if you asked me where my marathon swimming journey really started, I would tell you it was Dock2Dock.
Back in 2021, I took on my first ever marathon swim: the Dock2Dock 10k. I remember standing there as a bundle of nerves in my wetsuit, not really knowing what the next few hours were going to bring.
And, if I’m honest, I actually had a terrible swim that day! I managed to put a hole in my wetsuit before I’d even started, then broke my goggles mid-swim. Not exactly the dream first 10k.
But somehow, despite all of that, I came out of the water with the biggest smile on my face. Instead of putting me off, it did the complete opposite. I wanted to do it again. I wanted to swim further, challenge myself more and see what I was capable of.
And that feeling has stayed with me ever since.
From my first 10k to the English Channel
2026 marked my fourth Dock2Dock, and looking back at each event is almost like looking at a timeline of my own open water swimming journey.
In 2021, I completed the 10k in my wetsuit. In 2022, I stepped things up and took on the 15km in a sleeveless wetsuit. In 2023, I went back to the 10k, but this time I swam it in skins.
Then came a two-year Dock2Dock hiatus – although I had a pretty good excuse. I got married… and then swam the English Channel!
I honestly owe so much of that Channel swim to Dock2Dock. Hand on heart, I don’t think I would ever have had the confidence to go after that dream if I hadn’t first discovered what I was capable of by pushing myself at events like this.
There is something incredibly powerful about finishing a distance that once felt huge. Your idea of what is possible starts to shift. My first Dock2Dock gave me that feeling and, every time I came back, I was able to push that little bit further.
Eventually, something as enormous as swimming the English Channel stopped feeling completely impossible and became something I genuinely believed I could attempt.
Feeling safe enough to challenge yourself
A huge part of that confidence comes from knowing you are being looked after.
The enormous team that delivers Dock2Dock is next level. There are so many people working behind the scenes and out on the water, and as a swimmer you really notice it.
One of my favourite moments this year actually happened while I was treading water trying to open an energy gel. A kayaker was straight over to check that I was OK. I was absolutely fine – just losing a battle with my nutrition – but the fact they noticed and came across so quickly says everything.
In fact, it was rare during the 15km not to be able to see one of the many kayakers or paddleboarders patrolling the course.
That is one of the reasons I always recommend Dock2Dock when swimmers ask me which events they should try. Particularly when you are stepping up to a new distance, knowing there is such a visible safety team around you makes such a difference. You can concentrate on your swim, settle into your rhythm and tackle the challenge knowing you are being looked after.
Coming back after two years
This year felt extra special because it was my first Dock2Dock after a two-year break.
Coming back also made me realise just how much the event has grown since that first swim in 2021.
There is now an incredible event village, food trucks to keep your supporters happy while you’re out swimming, merch stands to be let loose on and so much going on around the water. It really embraces that community feeling that I love so much about open water swimming.
And that community isn’t just on dry land.
When you’re taking on 15km, you’re out there for a long time, and you start recognising the other swimmers around you. This year, seeing my fellow green-capped 15k’ers still ploughing on gave me a massive boost whenever things started getting tough.
And they definitely got tough.
My preparation for this year’s event wasn’t exactly something I’d recommend copying. I had a massive swim the month before Dock2Dock and then basically didn’t swim for a month before the event.
Turns out, not ideal preparation for a 15km.
My shoulders were screaming at me for a lot of the swim, but every time I saw another green cap carrying on, it gave me that little push to keep going too. We might all have been swimming our own individual challenge, but it never really felt like you were doing it alone.
That is what I love about events like Dock2Dock. There are fast swimmers, first-timers, experienced marathon swimmers and people attempting a distance they once thought they could never do. Everyone has their own reason for being there and their own challenge to overcome.
But we’re all out there doing it together.
See you in 2027
Dock2Dock has such a huge place in my heart and I’m already eagerly awaiting the announcement for 2027.
I can’t wait to come back and take on the 15km again – although this time I promise I’ll try to schedule my swimming slightly better in the run-up!
If you’re reading this because you’re thinking about entering Dock2Dock and you’re looking for a sign to give it a try, this is it.
You don’t need to start with 10km or 15km. Choose the distance that challenges you. That might be your first open water event, your first 1.5km, a step up to 5km or the beginning of your own marathon swimming journey.
Because you never really know where that first challenge might take you.
Mine eventually took me all the way across the English Channel.
Whatever distance you choose, you’ll have the best day with some of the best people.
And to Dock2Dock and NOWCA – thank you. You gave me a place to push myself, find out what I was capable of and build the courage to go after my dream swims.
I’ll always be grateful for that.
See you on the start line in 2027!
About Dock2Dock®
Dock2Dock® is London’s iconic open water swimming event, offering swimmers the unique opportunity to take on an unforgettable challenge through the historic Royal Docks.
Established in 2016, Dock2Dock has grown into a much-loved fixture in the open water swimming calendar, welcoming swimmers from across the UK and beyond. With distances ranging from 1.5km to an EPIC 15km, the event caters for everyone – from those taking on their first open water event to experienced endurance swimmers looking for their next challenge.
Set against a spectacular urban backdrop of docks, city skyline, cranes and planes taking off from London City Airport, the Dock2Dock offers a swimming experience unlike any other.
About Georgia Dolan-Mould
Georgia is an ultra-marathon swimmer balancing elite open water swimming with a full-time career. Known for sharing honest training content aimed at “tired and ambitious people with real lives,” Georgia has built a loyal following on social media – georgia.swims – by documenting the realities of fitting high-level endurance sport around everyday commitments.
A successful English Channel solo swimmer, Georgia also swum the Jersey to France crossing in August 2026. Following this major international swim, she took on the Dock2Dock 15K event just weeks later, making her one of the most ambitious participants in this year’s field.
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