Is the Young Woman and the Sea based on a true story and how many women have swam the English Channel?

Young Woman and the Sea has arrived on Disney - and having watched the moving drama about one woman’s attempt to swim the English Channel, many viewers have wondered if it is based on a true story.

Young Woman and the Sea follows Gertrude 'Trudy' Ederle (Daisy Ridley), who is determined to become the first woman to swim the English Channel. While the Olympic swimmer might be used to going against the current, the freezing waters aren’t the only obstacle she has to overcome.

In addition the the arduous swim, she encounters sexism, a jealous former coach (Christopher Eccleston) and dwindling confidence after a previous failed attempt.

The inspirational film made a splash after arriving on Disney+ last week, with many viewers wanting to learn more about its back story and the real women that have swum the Channel. 

Is the Young Woman and the Sea based on a true story?

Young Woman and the Sea is a true story and is based on Gertrude 'Trudy' Ederle, an American athlete who became the first woman to swim the English Channel in 1926. The film was partially adapted from a 2009 biography of the same name by Glenn Stout.

Though she was a pioneering athlete, Trudy had a surprisingly humble upbringing in New York as the daughter of German immigrants and lived above the family-owned butchers.

Her unmatched talent took her to Paris, where she also competed in the 1924 Olympics and won three medals for Team USA (including a gold and two bronze medals).

However, it was not all plain sailing for the professional swimmer as her first attempt to cross the Channel ended abruptly.

Though Young Woman and the Sea shows her tea being spiked by her coach Jabez Wolffe (Christopher Eccleston), Trudy was actually dragged from the waters by her trainer - who claimed it was for her safety.

As he'd previously attempted to swim the Channel a staggering 22 times, it’s widely felt that the coach sabotaged the accomplished swimmer.

It would be a year before Trudy would make her second attempt. This would prove to be another record-breaking swim for her though, as she completed the swim across the Channel in just 14 and a half hours - knocking two hours off the men’s record.

How many women have swam the English Channel?

Over 1500 women have completed the notoriously difficult swim across the English Channel, which occurs along one of the world’s busiest shipping routes.

Women also hold several impressive records for the 21-mile crossing, including the most swims completed by a single person.

Alison Streeter has swam the Channel a staggering 43 times and the British woman also holds the record for the fastest swim from France to England - which took her just 8 hours and 48 minutes.