Stève Stievenart Inducted as an Honor Swimmer in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame

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Ned Denison, chairperson of the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame, announced Stève “Seal” Stievenart of France (@steve_stievenart) as an Honor Swimmer in its Class of 2025.

If there is one word to describe the 47-year-old Frenchman from Wimereux, it is extreme. He pushes himself beyond the reasonably plausible – and smiles along the way.

But there is long thought-out implementation strategy to his achievements.

While he did the unprecedented three-way 96.9 km crossing of the Catalina Channel in 51 hours 18 minutes in 2023, he gradually built up to this pioneering swim over 18 months.

“His approached reminded me of the long-term strategy that Jon Erikson and Philip Rush did to complete their three-way crossings of the English Channel,” said Steven Munatones. “Initially, Stève did a one-way crossing of the channel in 13 hours 40 minutes in February 2022, itself an impressive feat during the winter months. And then He followed up four months later in June 2022 with a 64.6 km two-way crossing of the channel in 28 hours 45 minutes. But there is always a dramatically interesting twist to Stievenart’s crossing. In this double crossing, his first leg took 15 hours 51 minutes, and he didn’t look good at all. In fact, I thought he would call it on shore during his 10-minute break, but then he looked like a new man during his second leg which was nearly 3 hours faster. He flashed his trademark smile back on dryland when he completed the double crossing in 12 hours 54 minutes. This single- and double-crossing set him up nicely to pioneer his three-way the following year.”

In addition to his exploits in the marathon swimming world (like the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming and the Triple Crown of Lake Monster Swims in 2022), he has swum in various lakes from Lake Baikal in Siberia, Lake Tahoe in California, Lake Geneva in Switzerland, Lake Tislit in Morocco, Lake Crakenback in Australia, in Antarctica, and a high-altitude Ice Mile in the Andes.

His range of swimming exploits is remarkable – many of which are described in his autobiography, Steve Le Phoque – Le destin exceptionnel d’un homme sauvé par la mer.

On 26 September 2018, he crossed the 33.5 km English Channel from England to France at the age of 41 in 20 hours 55 minutes under the auspices of the Channel Swimming & Piloting Federation.
On 23 July 2019, he crossed the 33.5 km English Channel from England to France at the age of 42 in 17 hours 11 minutes under the auspices of the Channel Swimming & Piloting Federation.
On 1 June 2019, he completed the 20 Bridges Manhattan Swim around Manhattan Island in New York City, finishing in 7 hours 55 minutes 9 seconds at the age of 41.
On 16 September 2019, he completed a 51 km Round Jersey circumnavigation swim in 11 hours 11 minutes at the age of 42.
In August 2020, he completed a 67 km two-way crossing of the English Channel between England and France in 2020 in 34 hours 45 minutes to join the 24-Hour Club at the age of 43.
In July 2021, he participated in a 120 km 8-person relay across Lake Baikal in Siberia in 8-12°C water.
In August 2021, he completed the 91.8 km 40 Bridges Manhattan Swim, twice around Manhattan Island in New York City.
In August 2021, he swam 37 km across Loch Ness in Scotland in 14 hours 50 minutes, the first Frenchman to succeed.
In September 2021, he swam in the 35 km North Channel from Northern Ireland to Scotland with Infinity Channel Swimming in 14 hours 44 minutes 3 seconds, the 92nd swimmer to do so, at the age of 44.
In November 2021, he crossed the English Channel from England to France in 16 hours 47 minutes in 12-14°C water.
In February 2022, he completed a 32.3 km crossing of the Catalina Channel in 13 hours 40 minutes.
In June 2022, he completed a 64.6 km two-way crossing of the Catalina Channel in 28 hours 45 minutes.
In August 2022, he completed a lengthwise crossing of Lake Tahoe from California to Nevada in 15 hours 46 minutes 58 seconds at the age of 45. His first leg was 15 hours 35 minutes, second leg was 16 hours 42 minutes, and third leg was 18 hours 53.
In June 2023, he completed an unprecedented three-way 96.9 km crossing of the Catalina Channel in 51 hours 18 minutes. His first leg was 15 hours 35 minutes; his second leg was 16 hours 42 minutes; and third leg was 18 hours 53 minutes.
In September 2023, he crossed 69 km of Lake Geneva from the Chillon Castle to Bains de Pâquis in 35 hours 58 minutes.
In January 2024, he participated in the 33.5 km Winter Relay of the English Channel in 14 hours 45 minutes.
In February 2024, he completed an Ice Kilometer in 1°C water at the Antarctica Ice Swimming Adventure.
In 2024, he completed an Ice Mile in Lake Tilsit, Morocco in 35:47 at 2,120 meters in altitude in 4.73° water and 2.10°C air temperatures.
In August 2024, he completed an Ice Mile in Lake Crakenback, Australia in 39:17 at 1,100 meters in altitude in 4.7°C water and 4.2°C air temperatures.
In October 2024, he completed a high-altitude Ice Mile in the Andes at 2.853 meters in 37 minutes 54 seconds.