61-year-old American Pat Gallant-Charette was pulled from the water after 3.5 hours in her first attempt to cross the Tsugaru Channel. Anna Carin Nordin from Sweden also swimming this weekend made it a bit further and longer, but was pulled by her Japanese guide Haruyuki Ishii after 7 hours of not making progress against the currents.

Both women, swimming under the Tsugaru Strait Swimming Association, will give it another shot later this week. With the very warm waters of the Tsugaru Channel, jellyfish were also a problem that the intrepid women will have to face again.

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