With an 11 hour 51 minute crossing of the Tsugaru Channel in northern Japan on July 9th, Joe Zemaitis (45, USA, MSF bio here, shown on left above) completed the Oceans Seven. In doing so, Zemaitis became the first person in history to achieve both the Oceans Seven and the Stillwater 8.

Supported by his younger brother John Zemaitis (42, USA, MSF bio here, shown on right above) who also has completed the Stillwater 8 and 6 of the 7 Oceans Seven channels, the older Zemaitis completed his Tsugaru Channel crossing on the last day of his window.

He said, “The water was a bit bumpier at the start and calmed a bit later in the day. Either that or I just got used to the conditions. The water temperatures were pretty stable with no big temp drop at the end. It was 21°C pretty much all the way across; maybe a 1°C towards the end.

The last 16 km was brutal a a devastating current kick i which pushed me past the cape. The current calmed once I got past the cape and I was able to fight my way to shore and finish it.

John said the channel was choppy the whole way across. I guess I just got used to it. John still has a neck injury so he knows what he is up against, if he gets a slot next year. The 177 km of swimming (training) that I logged in June paid off.“

Joe Zemaitis’ Oceans Seven Journey

• Strait of Gibraltar in 5 hours 34 minutes in August 2013
• Catalina Channel in 12 hours 57 minutes in August 2016
• English Channel in 12 hours 23 minutes in August 2017
• Molokai Channel in 17 hours 51 minutes in October 2018
• North Channel in 10 hours 48 minutes in August 2019
• Cook Strait in 9 hours 1 minute in February 2023
• Tsugaru Channel in 11 hours 51 minutes on July 9th 2026

Joe Zemaitis’ Stillwater 8 Journey

• July 2015: 26.4 km Lake Zurich, Switzerland in 7 hours 55 minutes
• August 2018: 36.2 km Loch Ness, Scotland in 11 hours 21 minutes
• November 2019: 41 km Sea of Galilee, Israel two-way in 14 hours 52 minutes (7 hours 9 minutes + 7 hours 43 minutes)
• July 2020 for Joe, August 2023: 34.2 km Lake Tahoe, California in 11 hours 2 minutes
• February 2022: 40.2 km Lake Taupō, New Zealand in 13 hours 45 minutes
• July 2023: 23.5 km Lake Malawi, Africa in 7 hours 49 minutes
• March 2024: 15.2 km km Lago Titicaca, Peru and Bolivia in 5 hours 0 minutes
• July 2025: 50.4 km cross-border Lake Ontario, USA and Canada in 17 hours 17 minutes

Just a few weeks ago, fellow American Rob Lea (45, USA, MSF bio here) became the first person to achieve the Oceans Seven and the Seven Summits. Marathon swimming history is being made during the summer of 2026.

“Joe really stepped it up this July across Tsugaru,” recalled Steven Munatones. “Different people pulled out of their Tsugaru slots this summer. Without much warning, Joe was invited at the last moment, immediately paid the money, flew over to Japan with his brother John, stayed calm and composed throughout his dwindling swim window, and started at daybreak without complaint and much appreciation. He jumped in, swam across, and smiled on the way out.

It is no wonder Joe was inducted into the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame as an Honor Swimmer earlier this year.”

Oceans Seven Swimmers as of July 2026

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)
47th: Rob Lea (USA) who simultaneously achieved history’s first Double Sevens
48th: Anshuman Jhingran (India India at 21 years 3 months and 17 days)
49th: Joe Zemaitis, USA who became the first person to complete the Oceans Seven and the Stillwater 8

© 2026 Daily News of Open Water Swimming

“to educate, enthuse, and entertain all those who venture beyond the shoreline“

World Open Water Swimming Federation, a human-powered project

New Open Water Swimming Educational and Motivational Course – register here