Ross Edgley’s Great British Swim Voted 2018 World Open Water Swimming Performance of the Year
Courtesy of Red Bull Media House, Margate Beach, Great Britain.
The year 2018 saw an incredible number of outstanding swims by outstanding swimmers guided by passionate volunteers and governed by experienced administrators and coaches all over the world. The athletes proved the bar in all the various niches of open water swimming continues to be elevated.
Whether athletes were doing ice swims, marathon swims, pro races, European Championships, Pan Pacific Championships, channel swims, stage swims, adventure swims, charity swims, wild swims, swim camps and expeditions, or winter swims, it was a remarkable year.
The Great British Swim by the personable Ross Edgley was voted the 2018 World Open Water Swimming Performance of the Year among a number of incredible swims that included the Catalina Channel Crossing by Hank Wise, the Century Swim around Key West by Bill Welzien, the HK360Swim Around Hong Kong Island by Simon Holliday, the Ice Kilometer by Sven Elfferich, the Double Ice Mile by Hamza Bakircioglu, the Kangsha River Swim in Bangladesh by Kshitindra Chandra Baisya, the Lake Zürich Two-Way Crossing in Switzerland by Katrin Walter, the Santa Barbara Channel Crossing by Jim McConica, the Sfax to Djerba Marathon Swim in Tunisia by Nejib Belhedi, the Traversée Internationale du lac St-Jean in Canada by Edoardo Stochino, the Travessia do Leme ao Pontal in Brazil by Glauco Luise de Oliveira Rangel, the Triple Country Swim in Italy, Monaco and France by Carina Bruwer, the Tsugaru Channel Tandem Crossing in Japan by Nora Toledano Cadena and Mariel Hawley Dávila, and the Two-way Santa Cruz Island Crossing by Ken Mignosa.
“All the nominations for the 2018 World Open Water Swimming Performance of the Year were heroic and epic, completed by exceptional athletes,” said Steven Munatones. “The nominees are representative of millions of others in the open water swimming world. Each of these swims made a significant impact on the sport either locally, nationally, or internationally.
Few made a global impact as did Ross Edgley with his unprecedented 2,884 km assisted stage swim around Great Britain that entertained and educated millions of non-swimmers around the world about the challenges, difficulties, logistics and operations surrounding the sport of open water swimming.
His 157-day, 209-stage circumnavigation swim around the coastlines of England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland between June 1st and November 4th started and ended with a bang on Margate Beach in the UK.
The humble British fitness and sports performance expert, celebrity and author – with the support of Red Bull Media House – created unique videos filmed on his mother ship that were informative and fun to watch. His explanations of what he experienced were interesting and insightful, his descriptions of the conditions were both comprehensive and inspirational.
While the Great British Swim is in itself a simple concept, the effort to complete the task was a massive undertaking sponsored by Red Bull that required tremendous teamwork by a large and extended crew of professionals and volunteers. His audacious plan resulted in a unique promotion of the sport of open water swimming.”
Edgley joined the following previous winners of the World Open Water Swimming Performance of the Year:
* 2009: Andrew Smilley of the Cayman Islands for his performance at the RCP Tiburon Mile in San Francisco
* 2010: Ventura Deep Six by Jim McConica, Tom Ball, Kurtis Baron, Jim Neitz, Mike Shaffer and John Chung of the USA for their 202-miles (325 km) relay in 101 hours 39 minutes along the California coast
* 2011: Nejib Belhedi of Tunisia for his 1400K Swim Across Tunisia
* 2012: Juan Ignacio Martínez Fernández-Villamil of Spain for organizing the Descenso a Nado de la Ría de Navia for four decades
* 2013: Bering Strait Swim, an international relay with 121 participants (swimmers + officials + crew)
* 2014: Diomede Islands Swim, a 5.6 km tandem swim between the USA and Russia by Alexandr Brylin and Grigorii Prokopchuk of Russia
* 2015: Strait of Messina record-breaking crossing by Andrea Fazio of Italy
* 2016: Sarah Thomas of U.S.A. for her 80-mile (128.7 km) crossing of Lake Powell in 56 hours 5 minutes 26 seconds
* 2017: Margarita Llorens Bagur (Spain) for her 73 km attempt between Ibiza and Javea in Islas Baleares
* 2018: Great British Swim by Ross Edgley of the UK
Other 2018 WOWSA Awards winners included Ion Lazarenco Tiron of the Republic of Moldava as the World Open Water Swimming Man of the Year, Aleksandra Bednarek of Poland as the World Open Water Swimming Woman of the Year, and Icebears Hintertux of Austria by Josef Köberl as the 2018 World Open Water Offering of the Year. The winners were selected by the public in a global online poll.
Edgley’s record of swimming around Great Britain was documented by his support crew including escort pilot Matt Knight:
Swim #1
From Margate beach to off Ramsgate via Foreland Point
Start Time: 1715 on June 1st
Start Position: 51 deg 23′.338 N 001 deg 222′.636 E
End Time: 2300 on June 1st
End Position: 51 deg 18′.059 N 001 deg 26′.897 E
Distance Covered: 8.84 miles
Comment: All well aboard, now at Ramsgate expecting to leave again at 0500 to be ready to start swimming again at 0600
Swim #2
From Goodwin Sands to St Margarets Bay (Dover)
Start Time: 0710 on June 2nd
Start Position: 51 deg 18′.059 N 001 deg 26′.897 E
End Time: 1030 (swim curtailed due to fog)
End Position: 51 deg 08′.604 N 001 deg 23′.550 E
Distance Covered: 12.14 miles
Swim #3
From St Margarets Bay (Dover) to halfway between Dover & Folkestone
Start Time: 1910 on June 2nd
Start Position: 51 deg 08′.604 N 001 deg 23′.550 E
End Time: 2300
End Position: 51 deg 05′.593 N 001 deg 15′.898 E
Distance Covered: 5.88 miles
Comment: We are a bit behind the original assumed plans, we are in Rye harbour taking a break between tides
Swim #4
From approximately halfway between Dover & Folkestone to approximately 3 miles S of Hythe
Start Time: 0810 on June 3rd
Start Position: 51 deg 05′.593 N 001 deg 15′.898 E
End Time: 1220
End Position: 51 deg 00′.804 N 001 deg 05′.633
Distance Covered: 8.2 miles
Comment: We should be heading off again about 2000 this evening towards Dungeness Point
Swim #5
From midway between folkestone & dungeness to 2 miles short of Dungeness
Start Time: 2000 on June 3rd
Start Position: 51 deg 00′.804N 001 deg 05′.633 E
End Time: 2300
End Position: 50 deg 57′.132 N 001 deg 01′. 307 E
Distance Covered: 5.26 nautical miles
Swim #6:
From 2 miles NE of Dungeness point to off Lydd Firing Range
Start Time: 0810 on June 4th
Start Position: 50 deg 57′.132 N 001 deg 01′. 307 E
End Time: 1300
End Position: 50 deg 52′. 734 N 000 deg 51′.050 E
Distance Covered: 9.1 nautical miles
Comment: We have been very busy managing a number of issues mainly arising out of Ross’s wetsuits not really being up to the job. He has been getting very cold and also suffering from nasty chafe wounds, both of which are restricting his ability to move at expected speeds or stay in the water as long as he needs to. That said progress is steady.
Swim #7
From off Lydd Firing Range to Between Rye Harbour & Hastings
Start Time: 2040 on June 4th
Start Position: 50 deg 52′.734 N 000 deg 51′.050
End Time: 2300
End Position: 50 deg 51′. 271 N 000 deg 45′.555 E
Distance Covered: 3.8 nautical miles
Swim #8
From Twixt Rye & Hastings to off Hastings
Start Time: 0850 am on June 5th
Start Position: 50 deg 51′. 271 N 000 deg 45′.555 E
End Time: 1300 BST
End Position: 50 deg 50′.513 N 000 deg 36′.020
Distance Covered: 9.2 nautical miles
Swim #9
From Hastings to off Bexhill
Start Time: 1850 am on June 5th
Start Position: 50 deg 50′.513 N 000 deg 36′.020 E
End Time: 2200 BST
End Position: 50 deg 49′.414 N 000 deg 30′.809 E
Distance Covered: 3.5 nautical miles
Comment: We have arrived in Eastbourne! Beachy head is our next major landmark, possibly on tonights tide, which will be swim 11. All is well aboard.
Swim #10
From Off Bexhill Reef to Off Eastbourne
Start Time: 0740 BST on June 6th
Start Position: 50 DEG 49′.414 N 000 deg 30′.809 E
End Time: 1140 BST
End Position: 50 deg 46′.447 N 000 deg 22′.154 E
Distance Covered: 6.62 nautical miles
Comment: We are in Newhaven having had a marvellous rounding of Beachy Head in Millpond conditions. Suzanne has been relieved by Taz for a couple of days.
Swim #11
From off Eastbourne to Birling Gap via Beachy Head
Start Time: 1920 on June 6th
Start Position: 50 deg 46′.447N 000 deg 22′.154 E
End Time: 2300
End Position: 50 deg 43′.680 N 000 deg 12′.032 E
Distance Covered: 7.37 miles
Comment: Weather calm & good
Swim #12
From Birling Gap to Off Newhaven
Start Time: 0700 on June 7th
Start Position: 50 deg 43′.680 N 000 deg 12′.032 E
End Time: 1140 BST
End Position: 50 deg 44′.232 N 000 deg 00′.441 W
Distance Covered: 7.89 miles
Comment: Note change to west of Greenwich meridian!!! Weather overcast, but calm.
Swim #13
From off Newhaven to off Brighton (Rampion Windfarm)
Start Time: 1900 BST on June 7th
Start Position: 50 deg 44′.232 N 000 deg 00′.441 W
End Time: 2230 BST
End Position: 50 deg 44′.677 N 000 deg 08′.768 W
Distance Covered: 5.271 nautical miles
Comment: Weather calm, perfect swimming conditions
Swim #14
From off Brighton (Rampion Windfarm) to Off Shoreham/Worthing
Start Time: 0820 BST on June 8th
Start Position: 50 deg 44′.677 N 000 deg 08′.768 W
End Time: 1300 BST
End Position: 50 deg 44′.036 N 000 deg 19′.857 W
Distance Covered: 7.05 nautical miles
Comment: Weather sunny and calm, perfect swimming conditions
Swim #15
From off Brighton to off Littlehampton
Start 2030 end on June 8th
Start Position: 50 deg 44′.036 N 000 deg 19′.857 W
End Time: 2300 BST
End Position: 50 deg 43′.067 N 000 deg 28′.409 W
Distance Covered: 5.5 nautical miles
Comment: Calm seas & good weather!
Swim #16
From off Littlehampton to Off Bognor
Start Time: 0850 BST on June 9th
Start Position: 50 deg 43′.067 N 000 deg 28′.409 W
End Time: 1350 BST
End Position: 50 deg 42′.181 N 000 deg 38′. 872 W
Distance Covered: 6.72 nautical miles
Comment: Moderate seas cloudy with easterly breeze
Swim #17
From off Bognor to off Selsey
Start Time: 2020 on June 9th
Start Position: 50 deg 42′.181 N 000 deg 38′.872 W
End Time: 2330 BST
End Position: 50 deg 40′.283 N 000 deg 49′.042 W
Distance Covered: 6.61 nautical miles
Comment: Good weather continues with calm sea
Swim #18
From off Selsey to Nab Channel Solent
Start Time: 0815 BST on June 10th
Start Position 50 deg 40′.283 N 000 deg 49′.042 W
End Time: 1140 BST
End Position: 50 deg 42′.476 N 000 deg 57′.282 W
Distance Covered: 6.0 nautical miles
Comment: Slight seas sunny & with light easterly breeze
Swim #19
From Solent NAB Buoy #7 to St Helen’s Fort
Start Time: 1946 on June 10th
Start Position: 50 deg 42′.476 N 000 deg 57′.282 W
End Time: 2310 BST
End Position: 50 deg 42′.844 N 001 deg 04′.214 W
Distance Covered: 4.368 nautical miles
Comment: Good weather continues with calm sea
Swim #20
From Bembridge St Helens Fort to Peel Buoy off Wooton Creek
Start Time: 0930 BST on June 11th
Start Position: 50 deg 42′.844 N 001 deg 04′.214 W
End Time: 1300 BST
End Position: 50 deg 45′.497 N 001 deg 13′.433 W
Distance Covered: 6.65 nautical miles
Comment: Swum in slight seas sunny & with light easterly breeze
Swim #21
From Peel Bank Buoy (solent east) to Salt mead Buoy (solent west)
Start Time: 2130 on June 11th
Start Position: 50 deg 45′.497 N 001 deg 13′.433 W
End Time: 0020 on June 12th
End Position: 50 deg 44′.470 N 001 deg 22′.662 W
Distance Covered: 6.7 miles
Comment: Weather lovely starry night!
Swim #22
From Salt mead Buoy (solent west) to off Christchurch
Start Time: 1030 on June 12th
Start Position: 50 deg 44′.470 N 001 deg 22′.662 W
End Time: 1440
End Position: 50 deg 40′.380 N 001 deg 40′.542 W
Distance Covered: 12.36 miles
Comment: Great tides through the solent narrows; weather sunny with light winds. We are past the Isle of Wight! We have had to take shelter from a gale in Weymouth. As a result, there was a late night Swim 12th-13th only one long day swim yesterday (13th) and no night swim overning 13th-14th. However, we have now done the day swim of 14th so there are 3 swims here to report.
Swim #23
From off Christchurch to Off Swanage
Start Time: 2300 on June 12th
Start Position: 50 deg 40′.380N 001 deg 40′. 542 W
End Time: 0200 on June 13th
End Position: 50 deg 38′.267 N 001 deg 50′.250 W
Distance Covered: 6.41 miles
Comment: Jellyfish stopped play. Calm and starry night.
Swim #24
From Off Swanage to Off Kimmeridge
Start Time: 1140 on June 13th
Start Position: 50 deg 38′.267 N 001 deg 50′.250 W
End Time: 1440 BST
End Position: 50 deg 34′.576 N 002 deg 05′.854 W
Distance Covered: 11.1 miles
Comment: Sunny with light SW winds
Swim #25
From Off Kimmeridge Bay to end Location Off Portland
Start Time: 1330 on June 14th
Start Position: 50 deg 34′.576 N 002 deg 05′.854 W
End Time: 1800
End Position: 50 deg 32′.053 N 002 deg 24′. 272 W
Distance Covered: 10.3 miles
Comment: Rough sea and scattered clouds. Confirmed the significant tidal streams have made big differences to similar length swims; we have had some 4 and 5 knot currents from time to time!
Swim #26
From start off Portland to end off Chesil
Start Time: 0015 on June 15th
Start Position: 50 deg 32′.053 N 002 deg 24′. 272 W
End Time: 0300
End Position 50 deg 33′.088 N 002 deg 31′.241 W
Distance Covered: 6.5 miles
Comment: Starry night
Swim #27
From Chesil to off Bridport
Start Time: 1300 on June 15th
Start Position: 50 deg 33′.088 N 002 deg 31′.241 W
End Time: 1730
End Position: 50 deg 38′.252 N 002 deg 39′. 897 W
Distance Covered: 7.56 miles
Comment: Sunny with south west winds. Around Portland Bill and we are looking at Devon in the distance! We are being slowed by strong headwinds at the moment so 28 and 29 have yielded only small gains – but we are anticipating better in the next few days once the winds ease.
Swim #28
Off Bridport towards Lyme Regis
Start Time: 0220 on June 16th
Start Position: 50 deg 38′.252N 002 deg 39′.897 W
End Time: 0600
End Position: 50 deg 40′. 740 N 002 deg 50′. 524 W
Distance Covered: 7.2 miles
Comment: Swim in overcast conditions
Swim #29
Off Lyme Regis
Start Time: 1420 on June 16th
Start Position: 50 deg 40′. 740 N 002 deg 50′. 524 W
End Time: 1720
End Position: 50 deg 40′.672N 002 deg 55′.364 W
Distance Covered: 3.1 miles
Comment: Wild & windy conditions; a tough couple of days in strong westerly winds. We are calling it the Battle of Lyme Bay. Only a short swim yesterday morning and nothing at all in the evening. Picking up this morning, we are nearly out of the winds now: we are off Sidmouth this morning.
Swim #30
Off Lyme Regis to off Beer
Start Time: 0355 on June 17th
Start Position: 50 deg 40′.672 N 002 deg 55′.364 W
End Time: 0714
End Position: 50 deg 40′.250 N 003 deg 01′.609W
Distance Covered: 4 miles ground out
Comment: Strong headwinds & cloudy
Swim #31
Off Beer fo Off Sidmouth
Start Time: 0400 on July 18th
Start Position: 50 deg 40′.250 N 003 deg 01′.609 W
End Time: 0740
End Position: 50 deg 37′. 470 N 003 deg 08′. 815 W
Distance Covered: 5.2 miles
Comment: Swum in overcast conditions
Swim #32
Off Sidmouth to Off Sidmouth
Start Time: 1600 on June 18th
Start Position: 50 deg 37′. 470 N 003 deg 08′.815 W
End Time: 1700
End Position: 50 deg 37′.142N 003 deg 09′. 678 W
Distance Covered: 0.75 miles
Comment: Swum in strong headwinds, swim abandoned due to lack of progress
Swim #33
From off Sidmouth to off Exmouth
Start Time: 0400 on June 19th
Start Position: 50 deg 37′.142 N 003 deg 09′. 678 W
End Time: 0830
End Position 50 deg 34′.311 N 003 deg 18′.303 W
Distance Covered: 6.12 miles
Comment: Swum in moderate headwinds & fair weather with scattered cloud
Swim #34
Off Exmouth to Off Teignmouth
Start Time: 1700 on June 19th
Start Position: 50 deg 34′.311 N 003 deg 18′.303 W
End Time: 2050
End Position: 50 deg 31′.581 N 003 deg 21′.608 W
Distance Covered: 3.48 miles
Comment: Swum in fair weather and continuing moderate headwinds
Swim #35
Off Teignmouth to off Torquay
Start Time: 0550 on June 20th
Start Position: 50 deg 31′.581 N 003 deg 21′.608 W
End Time: 1000
End Position: 50 deg 27′.902 N 003 deg 24′. 645 W
Distance Covered: 4.4 miles
Comment: Swum in overcast conditions. We have finally cleared Lyme bay and are looking at charts for Cornwall! Better weather, good tides, Visits from the Royal Navy (HMS Charger and HMS Biter) as well as a fly past from a Navy helicopter have buoyed Ross’s morale…and we had a visit from a tall ship as well as dolphins.
Swim #36
Off Torbay to Berry Head
Start Time: 1820 on June 20th
Start Position: 50 deg 27′.902 N 003 deg 24′. 645 W
End Time: 2200
End Position: 50 deg 22′.262N 003 deg 28′. 068 W
Distance Covered: 6.2 miles
Comment: Swum in clearing skies and a beautiful sunset
Swim #37
From Berry Head to off Slapton
Start Time: 0700 on June 21st
Start Position: 50 deg 22′.262N 003 deg 28′. 068 W
End Time: 1100
End Position: 50 deg 15′.261N 003 deg 35′.324 W
Distance Covered: 8.323 miles
Comment: Swum in lovely weather, with dolphins and a tall ship the “Lord Nelson” for company!
Swim #38
From off Slapton to off Salcombe
Start Time: 1900 on June 21st
Start Position: 50 deg 15′.261N 003 deg 35′.324 W
End Time: 2300
End Position: 50 deg 11′.674 N 003 deg 46′.208 W
Distance Covered: 8.692 miles
Comment: Swum in perfect weather, although lots of jellyfish causing the swimmer some nasty pain
Swim #39
From off Salcombe to off Bantham
Start Time: 0730 on June 22nd
Start Position: 50 deg 11′.674 N 003 deg 46′.208 W
End Time: 1130
End Position: 50 deg 14′.439 N 003 deg 57′.377 W
Distance Covered: 7.8 miles
Comment: Swum in perfect sunshine and light winds. We are in 4 degrees of Longitude! Only 1 to go before we start heading North at last.
Swim #40
Off Bantham to Off River Yealm
Start Time: 1900 on June 22nd
Start Position: 50 deg 14′.439 N 003 deg 57′.377 W
End Time: 2200
End Position: 50 deg 15′.290 N 004 deg 01′. 460 W
Distance Covered: 2.7 miles
Comment: Swum in great conditions – except for the jellyfish which curtailed operations early
Swim #41
Off Yealm to off Plymouth Sound
Start Time: 0815 on June 23rd
Start Position: 50 deg 15′.290 N 004 deg 01′. 460 W
End Time: 1230
End Position: 50 deg 17′.270 N 004 deg 10′.296 W
Distance Covered: 6 miles
Comment: Swum in perfect weather for swimming. Thanks as always, we cross the Border into Cornwall tonight. Suzanne and Harriet well as are the rest of the crew. FANTASTIC WEATHER CONTINUES. We are looking at a fair forecast for rounding Landsend which will be a huge bonus!
Swim #42
From Devon into Cornwall across the mouth of Plymouth sound, ending off Rame Head
Start Time: 2100 on June 23rd
Start Position: 50 deg 17′.270 N 004 deg 10′.296 W
End Time: 2350
End Position: 50 deg 16′.770 N 004 deg 17′. 392 W
Distance Covered: 4.5 miles
Comment: Swum in calm & moonlit conditions; jellyfish continue to hold up longer swims
Swim #43
From Off Rame Head to Off Polperro
Start Time: 0830 on June 24th
Start Position: 50 deg 16′.770 N 004 deg 17′. 392 W
End Time: 1230
End Position: 50 deg 16′.606 N 004 deg 27′.588 W
Distance Covered: 6.5 miles
Comment: Swum in glassy smooth conditions & sunshine. The Navy arrived to escort Ross for a while and ended up having a drag race with him. HMS Biter & HMS Charger versus Ross Edgley, standing start 20 metre course, best of 3… tick over, 1200 rpm & full bore. Navy 3 Edgley 0 though close run on race 1. Nearly at the Lizard!.
Swim #44
From off Polperro to off Lantic Bay
Start Time: 2000 on June 24th
Start Position: 50 deg 16′.606 N 004 deg 27′.588 W
End Time: 2340
End Position: 50 deg 15′. 689 N 004 deg 34′.225 W