Brianna Jackson (@theswimmingbee) won Swim Ireland’s 2025 Open Water Swimmer of the Year.

Dave Berry summed up her achievements, “Over the past year, Brianna has established herself as one of the most dedicated and accomplished open water swimmers on both the Irish and international stage. Her season spanned an impressive range of marathon swims across lakes, seas, and coastlines, demonstrating not only endurance, but also versatility in varied conditions.

In the United States, Brianna tackled the Mount Saint Helens Classic series, completing four major swims over consecutive days: 20.9 km in Riffe Lake, 17.5 km in Lake Merwin, 12.1 km in Yale Lake, and 11.6 km in Mayfield Lake. Earlier in the year, she also excelled in the renowned SCAR Challenge in Arizona, finishing swims of 27.3 km in Apache Lake, 15.2 km in Saguaro Lake, and 14.4 km in Canyon Lake, a showcase of both stamina and determination in desert conditions.

At home in Ireland, Brianna’s highlights included the Skellig Michael to Portmagee 18.5 km crossing and multiple challenging routes off the Wexford coast, including 21 km from Cahore to Curracloe, 15.9 km from Cahore to Tara Hill, and 10.4 km from Clogga to Ballymoney. She also completed the 18.9 Muglins Lighthouse to Kilcoole swim and was part of a successful 27 km relay from Dún Laoghaire to Newcastle.

During the Swim Ireland season, she featured equally strong performances including the 25.4 km Wicklow Head to Clogga swim, a 16.8 km Kish to Bray route, and two challenging swims around Rockabill and Coney Hill.

Since completing her first marathon swim in 2022, Brianna has gone on to finish an astonishing 32 marathon swimst o date, an extraordinary record in just four years. Her commitment, consistency, and deep love for the sport are evident in every performance.

Beyond her own achievements, Brianna plays an active role in Ireland’s open water swimming community, piloting swims for others and supporting fellow swimmers on their journeys. Her willingness to give back, coupled with her relentless drive, has made her a true ambassador for open water swimming in Ireland.

Bee just loves the water. She is also a great swim pilot, does a load of swims for me. Good head, positive and loves the challenge.”

Jackson, a mother of three children under seven who could not swim six years ago, said, “This is an incredible honor, and I am so grateful for the recognition. [This] eans the world to me, and it will help highlight the hard work and dedication that has gone into this journey. It wasn’t just about my own swims; being part of others swims was a true privilege.”

2025 Marathon Swims

• October 27th, 11.5 km Glenbrook (Passage West Ferry) to Myrtleville beach, Co. Cork in 2 hours 59 minutes
• September 9th, 12.1 km Mount Saint Helens Classic, Yale Lake, Washington State, USA in 4 hours 42 minutes
• September 8th, 17.5 km Mount Saint Helens Classic, Lake Merwin, Washington State, USA in 6 hours 16 minutes
• September 7th, 20.9 km Mount Saint Helens Classic, Riffe Lake, Washington State, USA in 7 hours 12 minutes
• September 6th, 11.6 km Mount Saint Helens Classic, Mayfield Lake, Washington State, USA in 3 hours 55 minutes
• August 15th, 18.5 km Skellig Michael to Portmagee in 5 hours 37 minutes
• August 11th, 21 km Cahore Beach to Curracaloe Beach, Co Wexford in 4 hours 37 minutes
• July 27th, 27 km Dun laoghaire Harbour to Newcastle, 3-person relay in 6 hours 22 minutes
• July 12th, 18.9 km Muglins lighthouse to Kilcoole in 4 hours 20 minutes
• July 12th-19th, Cork Distance Week
• June 19th, 15.9 km Cahore Beach south to Tara hill, Co Wexford in 4 hours 30 minutes
• June 3rd, 10.4 km Clogga beach head to Ballymoney Beach, Co Wexford in 3 hours 49 minutes
• April 25th, 22.8 km Apache Lake at SCAR in Arizona USA in 8 hours 49 minutes
• April 24th, 14.4 km Canyon Lake at SCAR in Arizona USA in 4 hours 33 minutes
• April 23rd, 15.2 km Saguaro Lake at SCAR in Arizona, USA in 4 hours 20 minutes

© 2025 Daily News of Open Water Swimming

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