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The list below is a short list of open water swimming records (under 10 kilometers) done
without wetsuits and according to traditional English Channel rules. With over 70% of the
Earth covered in water, the number of records and locations to swim are numerous and
potentially endless.
If you know of any additional records or new records that have been set, please email the
name of the world record holder, their country, date (month, day and year), location, distance
and official time to Open Water Source.
RECORDS IN EUROPE
Magdalenefjord (1K)
First Swim: Lewis Pugh (Great Britain), 21:30
Rosie's Pub, Lower Aghada to Murph's Pub, East Ferry (6K, Ireland)
First Crossing: Fergus Galvin (Ireland), 2009
Bering Strait (2.2 miles from Little Diomede, U.S.A. to Big Diomede, U.S.S.R.)
First Crossing: Lynne Cox (USA), 1987, 2:06
Cayman Brac Crossing (4.88 miles from West End, Cayman Brac to Point of Sand,
Little Cayman Island in the Cayman Islands)
Fastest Channel Crossing: Jeff Miller, 2 May 1987, 2:36
First Channel Crossing: Jeff Miller, 2 May 1987, 2:36
First Crossing by Caymanians: Felix Ebanks and Matthew McKinley, 18 April 2010, 3:30
Youngest Male: 19-year-old Felix Ebanks, 18 April 2010, 3:30
Youngest Female: 35-year-old Andrea Roach, 18 April 2010, 3:30
Oldest Male: 48-year-old Bill McFarland (USA), 18 April 2010, 3:20
Oldest Female: 52-year-old Kate Alexander (USA), 18 April 2010, 3:20
American Swimming Association Open Water Swimming Texas High School State
Championships (2K, Austin, Texas, U.S.A.)
Fastest Male: Conner Nolan (USA), 2010, 25:13
Fastest Female: Claire Singley (USA), 2010, 25:51
Seven Mile Beach – Northwest Point at West Bay Dock to The Wharf (5 miles, Grand
Cayman Island, Cayman Islands)
First Crossing: Victor Thompson (Cayman Islands), 15 July 1989
Queen of the Sea (Reinha do Mar) (7K, Copacabana Beach, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
Fastest Swim: Christine Jennings (USA), 11 December 2010, 1:17
RECORDS IN OCEANIA
To be recorded
RECORDS IN ASIA
RECORDS IN AFRICA
(South Africa), 59
Round Cape Point – Diaz Beach to Buffels Bay (7.5K in South Africa)
Fastest Swim: John Dickerson (South Africa), 9 July 2006, 2:10
Fastest Female Swim: Carina Bruwer (South Africa), 27 March 2004, 2:20
Three Capes Swim – Maclear Beach to Buffels Bay (8.9K in South Africa)
Fastest Swim: Christof Wandratsch (Germany), 10 February 2005, 2:00
Fastest Female Swim: Gill Stamrood (South Africa), 15 April 2004, 3:15
Antarctica Records
First Swim: Lynne Cox (USA), 2002, Orlova (ship) to Neko Harbor, 0:25, 1.2 miles, non-
wetsuit swim following English Channel rules
Most Southern Swim: Ram Barkai (South Africa), 7 February 2008, 1K at 70° latitude near
Maitri in 1°C water with 0°C (32°F) air temperature
Paraná River, Argentina from Iguazzu Falls to Rio de La Plata, Buenos Aires (3,998K)
First Stage Swim: Martin Strel (Slovenia), 15 November to 8 December 2003, 24 days from
source to estuary