Paul Leonard (54, UK, MSF bio here, @paulsharkbite) was knocked down and sit got up. A shark bite, tough conditions all got the better of him at some point during his Oceans Seven journey – but he finally got it done with an 11 hour 45 minute crossing of the Tsugaru Channel in northern Japan yesterday.

Nearly four years in the making, Leonard became the 45th person in history to complete the Oceans Seven – and fifth Red Top Swimming member to do so.

Paul Leonard’s Oceans Seven Journey

• English Channel in 12 hours 39 minutes in September 2022
• Strait of Gibraltar in 3 hours 24 minutes in April 2023
• Catalina Channel in 11 hours 24 minutes in October 2023
• Cook Strait in 8 hours 45 minutes in January 2024
• North Channel in 12 hours 30 minutes in August 2024
• Molokai Channel attempted stopped after 7 hours due to a shark bite in March 2025
• Tsugaru Channel attempted stopped after 10 hours in August 2025
• Molokai Channel in 13 hours 50 minutes in October 2025
• Tsugaru Channel in 11 hours 45 minutes on June 18th 2026

After landing at Yoshioka in Hokkaido, coach Tim Denyer said, “Paul battled some decent sized swells during the start of the swim and then the water seemed to calm a little before having to battle his way through a 3-knot current to ensure we didn’t drift to far East and miss the landing point. After that it was a dart North for 8 kilometres… until Tsugaru decided to throw one last curve ball at him providing him with a nice current to battle against to land the swim whilst the water temperature was dropping off. Oceans Seven is now complete.

His remarkable achievement is the result of years of dedication, resilience, discipline, and an unwavering commitment to the sport of marathon swimming. The water temperature was approximately 18–20°C with light to moderate winds and challenging tidal currents, one of the key factors that make this crossing so demanding.“

With his son onboard as his crew, the Leonard’s were all smiles. Exhausted, but exhilarated. Leonard wrote after reaching land, “It is a tough, tough channel Tsugaru – but we managed to find a way through.”

Gráinne Moss née Gunn (55, Ireland, MSF bio here) and Karen Ennis (53, UK, MSF bio here) also completed their Oceans Seven journeys within a few hours of Leonard.

Steven Munatones commented, “What is absolutely incredible is how three different people from around the world ended up completing their Oceans Seven on the same exact day within hours of one another. When I first conceived of the Oceans Seven, I did not know if it were even possible. And even if it were possible, it would take many, many years before the first person achieved the Oceans Seven. But 18 years after it was first announced, we already have 46 people from all walks of life and all ages who have become Oceans Seven swimmers – and there are several more people who will do the Oceans Seven in July and August this year. Wow. Just incredible how the global open water swimming community can set – and achieve – goals previously thought impossible.”

Oceans Seven Swimmers

1st: Stephen Redmond (Ireland)
2nd: Anna-Carin Nordin (Sweden)
3rd: Michelle Macy (USA)
4th: Darren Miller (USA)
5th: Adam Walker (UK)
6th: Kimberley Chambers (New Zealand)
7th: Antonio Argüelles (Mexico)
8th: Ion Lazarenco Tiron (Moldavia/Ireland)
9th: Rohan Dattatrey More (India)
10th: Abhejali Bernardová (Czech Republic)
11th: Cameron Bellamy (South Africa)
12th: Lynton Mortensen (Australia)
13th: Thomas Pembroke (Australia)
14th: Nora Toledano Cadena (Mexico)
15th: Mariel Hawley Davila (Mexico)
16th: André Wiersig (Germany)
17th: Elizabeth Fry (USA)
18th: Attila Mányoki (Hungary)
19th: Jonathan Ratcliffe (UK)
20th: Jorge Crivilles Villanueva (Spain)]
21st: Adrian Sarchet (Guernsey)
22nd: Prabhat Koli (India)
23rd: Dina Levačić (Croatia)
24th: Herman van der Westhuizen (South Africa)
25th: Andy Donaldson (Scotland)
26th: Stephen Junk (Australia)
27th: Kieron Palframan (South Africa)
28th: Bárbara Hernández Huerta (Chile)
29th: Mark Sowerby (Australia)
30th: Paul Georgescu (Romania)
31st: Zach Margolis (USA)
32nd: Petar Stoychev (Bulgaria)
33rd: Nathalia Pohl (Germany)
34th: Caitlin O’Reilly (New Zealand at the age of 20 years 7 months 15 days)
35th: Ryan Utsumi (USA)
36th: Marcia Cleveland (USA)
37th: Eduardo Collazos Valle-Guayo (Peru)
38th: Rob Woodhouse (Australia)
39th: Alessandra Rossi Cima (Brazil)
40th: Bengisu Avci (Turkey)
41st: Simon Olliver (New Zealand)
42nd: Andreas Waschburger (Germany)
43rd: Joanne Norman (Australia)
44th: Paul Leonard (Great Britain)
45th: Gráinne Moss (Ireland)
46th: Karen Ennis (Great Britain)

© 2026 Daily News of Open Water Swimming

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