20 hours 58 minutes after starting, Simon Holliday (46, UK, MSF bio here) became the first person to complete a 65 km circumnavigation swim around Lantau Island, the largest of Hong Kong‘s islands that lies at the mouth of the Pearl River.

It was a tough slug through some choppy waters – and an uncharted course where there is always a risk of failure and most certainly unexpected conditions and situations along the way.

Soon thereafter, Edie Hu (50, USA, MSF bio here, @edieswimshongkong) became the first woman to do so in 21 hours 28 minutes. Despite the long ordeal, Hu was all smiles – remarkably fresh after her recent 16 hour 10 minute crossing of the Molokai Channel in Hawaii.

She recalled, “I was getting sleepy and actually dozing off [while swimming]. Then I started having some hallucinations – seeing Yoda on the mountain. After a shot of caffeine at 12:30 am, I pulled it together and pick up my pace.”

The pair started their three-person 65 km tandem swim with Brett Kruse who choose to pull himself out earlier after 8 hours 30 minutes into the swim due to excruciating cramps in his hip flexors. But he was not about to miss the second half of his swimmates’ swim and remained on the boat to continue providing support.

It was an adventure, swimming through the night, dealing with cross currents, getting separated as Holliday and Hu pioneered another swim in the Hong Kong marine environment. Their support team on two boats with escort kayakers was tight and observant throughout.

Hu had earlier estimated that the swim would take their over 20 hours in the 22.4°C water with 14.8 knot winds, and she was pretty spot on. A total team effort with escort pilot Carl Wilkinson, first mate Tim Bruce, second mate John Seddon, escort kayakers Roy Cheung, Klaus Wu, and Ricky Law, safety boat pilot Kent Tam and crew member Kevin, chief feeder Gabrielle Little, feeder/observer  Madison Feldman, chief observer Hal Stuart, navigator Cameron Ferguson, and videographers Flora Bradley-Watson,  Maggie Dou, and Shana Kruse.

Photos courtesy of Roy Cheung and the support crew.

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