Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California.

Beth French continues on her unprecedented journey to complete the Oceans Seven within one calendar year.

After completing the Catalina Channel in October 2016 (19 hours 7 minutes) and the Molokai Channel in December 2016 (17 hours 59 minutes), she set off on her Cook Strait challenge, but experienced her first career DNF.

Ten days later, she completed a successful Cook Strait crossing with a 9 hour 11 minute swim from the South Island to the North Island.

She started at 7:52 am on the South Island and finished at 5:03 pm on the North Island escorted by pilot Neil Palfreyman and observed by Ella Hewton.

Her initial DNF (read here) made today’s success in the 16-18°C water all the sweeter.

Update: Beth French’s Cook Strait crossing was not ratified because she crossed without a representative from the Cook Strait governing body on board.

Copyright © 2008-2017 by World Open Water Swimming Association