Mark Elsbury Shares His Passion for the Open Water from the English Channel to Mauritius

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Mauritius is an island nation in the Indian Ocean about 2,000 kilometres off the southeast coast of the African continent.

It was here that Mark Elsbury (@markelsbury) moved 16 years ago. His life in the tropical paradise was abruptly interrupted in 2022 when he was diagnosed with esophageal cancer.

But Elsbury worked through that diagnosis.

He has been organizing and sponsoring the Nando’s Royal Life Saving Society Open Water Swim in Mauritius since 2013 – and his cancer did not stop him. He explains, “While there is a small, dedicated local community of open water swimmers who train regularly, the event itself attracts over 600 participants each year from across the island. We also see swimmers travel from South Africa and Europe to take part. My aspiration is to grow this event into a truly international open water swim, attracting participants from around the globe.”

After his cancer treatment, he took his passion for open water swimming to the next level a few years ago.

He recalled, “I first met Ned Denison two years ago during his visit to Mauritius. He later invited Harry Sutherland and me to take part in Cork Distance Week last year. That experience led us to swim across the English Channel. Harry completed an incredible solo swim at the age of 66 in 13 hours 29 minutes. Harry set a Channel Swimming Association record for the Oldest British Man at 66 years 141 days and received the 2024 CSA Award for the Oldest Successful Swimmer.

In my case, I undertook an assisted swim from Dover to Cap Gris Nez in July 2024, having faced a very different journey. After undergoing treatment and major surgery, I lost over 20 kg and faced significant physical challenges. Swimming in the cold waters of the UK and Ireland proved extremely difficult under those conditions, but completing the swim in a wetsuit remains one of my proudest achievements.”

Nando’s RLSS Open Water Swim includes a Kids Fun Swim, a 1.6 km swim, and a 3.8 km swim. The swims can also be assisted with equipment such as diving masks, snorkels, swim buoys, swim boards, fins, wetsuits, neoprene garments, and any other swimming aids.

For more information, visit swimnandosmauritius.com and the Facebook page here.