This second bonus episode is with the legendary Ger Kennedy. Ger was the overall captain and organiser of this mad and beautiful idea to put two five person relay teams together to swim the English Channel on a very cold winter day in January 2024. With the sea temperature around 7 degrees and air temp around 2 degrees, both teams set of in earnest, having done weeks of cold water preparation... I loved this chat as it is about ten people pushing the envelope of what is possible in winter swimming. Enjoy!!
In January of 2024 two teams of five swimmers set off to become the first winter relays to swim the English Channel. With the air temperature at 2 degrees and the water around 7 degrees, the men's team were successful in 14 hours and 45 minutes. Each team member swimming at least three one hour rotations in just their trunks, goggles and swim hat, as per EC Swimming rules. Sadly, the women's team had to abort due to a boat malfunction: that being said, while the boat was stationary and the crew were attempting to remove the issue, the women's team had to tread water alongside the bobbing vessel: again as per the hourly swim rotation rules. This event was some of the most extreme cold water swimming I have ever seen, and I was lucky enough to chat to two of the men's team... this episode is with one of the most humble swimmers you are ever likely to meet: Lee Johnson.
The final episode of Season Four is with a young man who has written himself firmly into the record books. Brian Foster, the 16 year old who in 2024 became the first man (second person) to swim the North Channel Double and also becoming then youngest ever soloist in the process. His double took him a remarkable 24 hours and 50 minutes... He also swam the English Channel and Catalina in preparation for this remarkable achievement. We chat all things Sandy Cove, swimming proper sets in the sea all year round and generally what makes this young man so special.
Season 4 is in collaboration with Ocean Lube, the ocean-friendly anti-chafing skin cream that saves your skin and protects our oceans.
Today’s guest is with a former GBR elite athlete, who was originally a 400 IM swimmer, turned 10km OW swimmer. She talks very openly and candidly about her struggles with competing at the highest level of the sport, recovering form injury and also an eating disorder which very nearly took her out of the sport altogether. Once she had hung up her goggles from the sport, she decided to swim the English Channel, after also completing the Straights of Gibraltar swim. As you do. This is a wonderful chat and it was my honour to speak to Amber Keegan…
Season 4 is in collaboration with Ocean Lube the anti-chafing skin cream that protects your skin and saves our oceans.
Episode ten of An Open Water Swimmer's Podcast, is with Paul de Waard. Originally from the Netherlands, he now resides in a corner of Ireland where very cold open water swimming is the norm for a large community of swimmers. Sandy Cove has become synonymous with a hardcore group of Irish swimmers, who train throughout the year - swimming lap after lap (one lap is roughly a mile). A former competitive swimmer, he has completed the gnarly 34.5km North Channel - battling yet more cold and the infamous Lionsmane Jellyfish along the way. But perhaps most inspiring is what led him to this corner of the globe after heroically trying to help a person in distress… and recovering from the ensuing gunshot wound.
Season four is in collaboration with Ocean Lube the ocean-friendly anti-chafing skin cream that saves your skin and protects our oceans.
Episode 9 of Season 4 is with Halani Moss-Vete who is originally from Hawaii, and swam the English Channel in 2022. Her home waters were calling for her and she swam the 26 miles of the Molokai Channel in 2024; battling currents and jellyfish along the way in a staggering 29 hour swim. The currents themselves, while a huge obstacle, actually made her land somewhere special at the end of the swim, in familiar waters... it was like the ocean knew as you'll find out in the podcast.
Season 4 is in collaboration with Ocean Lube the ocean-friendly anti-chafing skin cream that protects your skin and saves our oceans.
Episode 8 with the extraordinary Jonty Warneken. Jonty beautifully takes us through his journey as a Para-marathon Swimmer and Ice Swimmer. Dubbed "the first disabled Ice Miler", Jonty has completed some incredible swims including the 65km Round Jersey Swim, Windermere Solo and the first disabled relay to team to swim the North Channel. Jonty is a Guinness World Record holder for Para distance Ice Swimming and is a Vice President of IISA and global board member. He is Co Chair of the Ice Swimming Hall of Fame. It was such a pleasure to chat to him.
Season 4 is in collaboration with Ocean Lube the ocean-friendly anti-chafing skin cream that protects your skin and saves our oceans.
Episode 7 is with the lovely Emma France. Emma runs the famous DCT group and has been instrumental in helping heaps of swimmers achieve their goals of swimming The English Channel. An Accomplished swimmer herself with three solos and twenty EC relays shew knows her onions... Was a pleasure chatting to someone with such a wealth of experience to share.
Season 4 is in collaboration with Ocean Lube, the Ocean friendly anti-chafing skin cream that saves your skin and protects our oceans.
The legendary Phillip Rush joins me for episode six... He had an illustrious career as an elite athlete and in 1987 he famously swam a three way of the English Channel: on that swim he broke 5 world records. He still holds the fastest two and three way crossings; his two way was a staggering 16hrs and 10mins (7.55 / 8.15) and his three way was 28hrs and 21mins. He now coaches and mentors many a marathon swimmer in his native New Zealand.
Episode 5 of Season 4 is with the amazing Amy Ennion. Among her achievements are Lake Geneva (28 hours), the English Channel, Guernsey to France (becoming the first person to ever swim that route) and she is not done yet with more swims planned for 2025. We chat about training, mind-set and the importance of keeping the fun in swimming.
Season 4 is in collaboration wit Ocean Lube the ocean-friendly anti-chafing skin cream that protects your skin and saves our oceans...
Episode 4 of is with the one and only Neil Gilson: fresh from his record breaking 72km Lake Geneva swim, which he swam in a staggering 22hrs and 9mins. We chat about how he trained for such a long and fast swim, and how his delayed success on that swim got him over the finish line.
eason 4 is in collaboration with Ocean Lube the ocean-friendly anti-chafing skin cream that protects your skin and saves our oceans.
Episode three of the podcast is with the youngest ever English Channel Swimmer, who swam the Channel in 1988 aged 11. A record he will have ad infinitum as the rules now stipulate that a swimmer must be over sixteen years old... His story is immortalised in his book "Boy in the Water", an incredibly moving coming-of-age story about his relationship with his coach and how he prepared for this swim so young. This was such a delight to record: a wonderful chat... enjoy.
Season 4 is in collaboration with Ocean Lube the ocean-friendly anti-chafing skin cream that protects your skin and saves our oceans...
Episode 2 of Season 4 is with a remarkable Australian swimmer, who in 2024 became the first person to swim the 77km from Italy to Albania, crossing that channel in a staggering 33 hours. She also became took the mantle of "earliest female Channel Swimmer" in the same year, making the crossing in early June, on D Day, in fact, in some very chilly water... Hope you enjoy.
Season 4 is in collaboration wit Ocean Lube the ocean-friendly anti-chafing skin cream that protects your skin and saves our oceans...
Excited to bring you the opening episode of Season 4 with Team GB's Hector Pardoe, fresh from his fantastic sixth place in THAT 10km swim... we chat about training and what it's like being at the sharp end of the sport. He's a remarkable athlete with a very bright future ahead of him. I hope you enjoy.
Season 4 is in collaboration wit Ocean Lube the ocean-friendly anti-chafing skin cream that protects your skin and saves our oceans...
Bonus Episode! Sarah Thomas came to Sea Lanes in July 2024 for an interview in front of a live audience, hosted by me. It was such an honour to be able to speak to her face to face and hear first-hand her story and her recent epic swim around Maui... Apologies for the sound during the interview, I think you'll forgive me as it's a really great chat. I had the microphone placed next to a speaker and it's ever so slightly distorted. Happy Swimming and enjoy!
The final episode of Season 3 is with the Triple Crown and Original Triple Crown Swimmer, Martyn Webster. Martyn has completed numerous marathon swims over his illustrious time in the sport and is someone I am about to share a swimming holiday with in a matter of weeks... It was great to close the season chatting to someone who knows so much and had a plethora of knowledge to impart! Enjoy!
Today’s guest is one of the nicest guys you are ever likely to come across in the world of Marathon Swimming… a former top elite swimmer who ended up taking a little time away form the sport entirely; when he returned he embarked on his marathon swimming journey - he won the famous 25km Rottnest Swim in Australia, and then decided that he would aim to complete the famous Ocean 7 in one calendar year… for those who might not know, the Ocean7 is a set of seven ultra marathon swims across the globe, which are The English Channel, The North Channel, Gibraltar Strait, Catalina Channel, Molokai Channel, Cook Strait and the Tsugaru Strait … they vary from 44km to 16km in distance and really only a handful of people have completed all seven (21 so far, as of March 2023).
He broke the British Record with his English Channel swim last year in 8 hours and very recently broke the World Record for the 26km Cook Strait in a staggering 4 hours 33mins…
I was thrilled to welcome to the podcast Andy Donaldson…
I have been wanting to record today’s guest for quite some time… about 18 months ago I developed a shoulder issue outside of the pool which prevented me from swimming. Having never had any issues with my shoulders before in the pool and also having booked Jersey Solo and English Channel Swim attempts, I needed to fix it properly. I found a place many a Sussex-based swimmer has found solace before and he is a bit of local legend in getting broken swimmers back into the water. He is himself a swimmer and surfer and of course an Osteopath and Physiotherapist… It was terrific to welcome to the podcast Mark Andrews! Happy Swimming!
