Courtesy of André Castelucio, Ilha Grande, Brazil. On January 27th, a group of Brazilian open water swimmers attempted and completed an unprecedented circumnavigation relay around Ilha Grande, an island located 2 km to the Brazilian mainland that was formerly used as a penal colony between 1900 and 1990. Ilha Grande is the largest island in […]

Courtesy of Lexie Kelly, Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Ashley Hogg, a British pool and open water swimmer who is studying chemistry at the University of Manchester, finished 5th in the aQuellé Midmar Mile in South Africa last week. But he always did not have the confidence in the water as he does now. He found

An open letter from Ram Barkai, chairman of the International Ice Swimming Association, to those interested in supporting, volunteering for, attempting and doing ice swimming, participating in ice swimming competitions, and completing safe and officially recognized Ice Miles. Dear all frozen ones, International Ice Swimming Association has been growing rapidly over the past few years.

Unique Awards In The Open Water Swimming World, Part 15 Courtesy of WOWSA, river Labe, Czech Republic. The 25 km Gaston Memorial Swim is held in the river Labe in the Czech Republic every August. Gaston was a seal who escaped from the Prague Zoo during the floods of 2002 and swam to Germany. Jack

Unique Awards In The Open Water Swimming World, Part 14 Courtesy of Mervyn Bremner, Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Over the weekend, Mervyn Bremner from Cape Town, South Africa completed miles #147, #148, #149, #150, #151, #152, #153 and #154 at the aQuellé Midmar Mile in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. Stanley Kozlowski presented Bremner with a special

Courtesy of WOWSA, Rosario, Argentina. The 21st annual Maratón Acuática Internacional Ciudad de Rosario, the second stop on the 2019 FINA UltraMarathon Swim Series in Rosario, Argentina, Cecilia Biagioli very comfortably won the 15 km race while Ivo Cassini just barely touched out Guillermo Bértola [see photos on left]. Men’s Results: 1. Ivo Cassini (Argentina)

Courtesy of WOWSA, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. Two internationally race-savvy Australians are piling up the airline miles as well as awards. They swept the podium at the 46th aQuellé Midmar Mile in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. Both Nick Sloman and Kareena Lee, fresh off of victories in the 2019 Australian 10 km Open Water Championship in Adelaide

Courtesy of The Adventure Show and Marathon Swimmers Federation, North Minch, Scotland. Colleen Blair crossed the North Minch from the Isle of Lewis to the Scottish mainland for the first time in human history. Her peers with the Marathon Swimmers Federation honored her with the MSF Yudovin Award for Most Adventurous Marathon Swim of 2018.

Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California. “No tears (well some), no regrets,” wrote Rick Walker who coached at Southern Illinois University for 32 years in addition to leading dozens of USA national teams at international open water swimming competitions. “I wish to thank all the athletes who chose to follow and at some point lead.