Ricardo Francisco Sant Ana Ortiz, a Brazilian swimmer from Bragança Paulista, completed the Travessia do Leme ao Pontal on June 29th off the coast of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Last year in order to raise money to pay his expenses, Ortiz designed and sold personalized shirts.  After he raised the money, he set his swim window.

Adherbal de Oliveira of the Travessia do Leme ao Pontal explained the 36 km swim, “After a week with very unstable climatic conditions due to the cold fronts  on the Brazilian border, Ricardo finally received the permission of the Leme to Pontal Swimming Association to swim on the fifth day of his scheduled seven-day window.

The start was at midnight between June 28th – 29th, but the conditions were not favorable.  Ricardo would have to face offshore winds that an undulating sea and southward swells that would push him to the mainland and not to the east end of his goal on Pontal beach.

During the night due to the ocean swells, Ricardo was pushed laterally away from his escort boat.  Despite the difficulties, he said that when swimming at night, he was delighted to see the Christ Redeemer and the illuminated silhouette of the coast of Rio de Janeiro.

At dawn, despite a beautiful, sunny morning, the wind complicated his planned course. But Ricardo was very well prepared and continued swimming strongly along the 36 km course as he passed along the beautiful beaches of Copacabana, Leme, Ipanema, São Conrado and Barra da Tijuca.

Ricardo said, ‘With every difficulty, I thought of God and, with faith, I asked to continue having the strength to overcome all adversities.’

In the end, everything worked out for Ricardo and his team who were on board the escort boat.

After 11 hours 6 minutes, Ricardo arrived at Pontal beach to become the 24th swimmer to complete the Travessia do Leme ao Pontal without neoprene.”