Our Coaches And Guides

Colin Hill

Colin, Director of USP, has been inducted into the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame & Ice Swimming Hall of Fame.  Colin loves coaching swimmers from total beginners to very experienced (both breaststroke and front crawl), as well as sharing his love for the open water.

With a long list of marathon swims to his name which includes: English Channel Soloist - 10hrs 30 mins,  New Zealand's Cook Strait in 8 hrs 27, NYC Round Manhattan Island 28 mile swim in 7 hrs 53 mins  and two way Windermere Solo swim (10 hrs 30min).  Colin and has taken part in many open water races and crossings around the world, including winning a 25km Madeira Swim Race & 1st in Chillswim Ullswater 7.5 miles.

Colin has been three times Winter Swimming World Champion for 450m distance and became the first UK male to officially complete the Ice Mile (International Ice Swimming Association).  

Former British Age Group Triathlon Champion.  

Organiser of the London 2012 Marathon Swimming Olympic Race. 

Qualified STA Level 2 Pool & Open Water Coach.  RLSS Open Water Lifeguard.  Swift Water Rescue Technician.  RYA Safety Boat qualified. 

Colin Hill TV Features:

• World Swimming Championships (Doha, Hungary & Japan): Commentating live on international TV broadcasts for open water events
• Idris Elba's Fight Club 2022: Open Water Swimming Challenge for BBC TV with Idris Elba.  Developing challenge, coaching and interviews. 
• Sports Relief 2020: Jo Whiley's Sport Relief Dare2Tri - Colin was the open water swim coach and cold water swim adviser for open water swim sections of the 3 triathlons in 3 days. 
  
• Extreme sports Red Bull: Colin took part in Alpine high altitude cold water swimming physiology testing for a TV program on extreme sports.
• River Cottage: Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall follows Colin as he trains for a 10k event, closely watching his diet. 
• Blue Peter Sports Relief: Presenter Radzi was trained by Colin from novice swimmer to open water swimmer for a televised 1-mile swim in 5 degrees for Sports Relief Winter Swim Challenge.
• SAS: Are you Tough Enough:  Colin was a participant in the first ever BBC SAS reality TV show and made it through to the final 4.