Bill “Ciastko” Welzien (USA, 74, MSF bio here) has completed his 142nd warm-water 20.1 km circumnavigation swim around Key West in southern Florida last Thursday. At 74 years old, he shows no signs of slowing down – in either helping out with the annual Swim Around Key West or continuing his own solo efforts swimming around the island.

His son David Welzien paddled the kayak next to his father on his clockwise course on February 13th. Bill wore SolarX sunscreen for skin protection.

He started his solo swims around Key West in 1991 and started serving as the race organizer of the Swim Around Key West in 2003. He completed his 100th swim (Century Swim) in May 2018, averaging 6 hours 15 minutes over the course.

His 142nd career circumnavigation swim as he approaches his 75th birthday was 7 hours 2 minutes – a bit slower than his lifetime average – in the warm water of the Caribbean Sea. Typically among the abundant marine life that he sees or encounters includes Conch shells, manta rays, seaweed, sting rays, sea turtles, docile nurse sharks, and colorful tropical fish.

This was his sixth circumnavigation swim since he turned 74 last April – a remarkable feat and unprecedented streak for the Floridian septuagenarian.

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