Long-distance swimming
Encyclopedia
The distances that distinguish long distance swimming from ordinary swimming are those distances that are longer than are typically swum in pool competitions. When a given swim calls more on endurance than outright speed, the more likely it is to be considered a long distance swim. Long distance swims, however, may take place in pools, such as ultra-long distances swum in 1997 by Grant Robinson's and Kelly Driffield (24hr swims of a 50m long pool, approx 100 km)
. Some of the more well-known long-distance swims are crossings of the English Channel
, Catalina Channel, and Cook Strait
.
Ultra-long distance swimming is sometimes referred to as marathon swimming. The minimum distance that constitutes a marathon swim has dramatically shortened over time. Various organizations adopt various minimum distances.
Long distance swims tend to fall into one of two categories, 1) swims in which the start date and start time are chosen by the individual swimmer (often called solo-swims), and 2) swims that involve a group-start.
World marathon swimming records can be set by being the first to swim a specific distance in a specific course in a specific body of water or the fastest or the oldest or the most prolific (i.e., the most number of times in a specific location). World records are authenticated by independent observers and are defined by distance, gender, age, location and time. Distance is separated into world marathon swimming records (at least 10 kilometers) or world open water swimming records (under 10 kilometers).
The Half Century Club is a list of marathon swimmers over the age of 50 years who have successfully swum across major channels around the world. The Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming includes three famous marathon swims around the world: (1) 21 miles (33.7K) across the English Channel between England and France, (2) 21 miles (33.7K) across the Catalina Channel in Southern California, USA, and (3) 28.5 miles (45.8K) around the Manhattan Island in New York, USA. Membership in the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming requires authentification of each of these three swim
The Ocean’s Seven are marathon swimming's equivalent of the Seven Summits
. The Ocean’s Seven include (1) Irish Channel between Ireland and Scotland, (2) Cook Strait between the North and South Islands of New Zealand, (3) Molokai Channel between Oahu and Molokai Islands in Hawaii, (4) English Channel between England and France, (5) Catalina Channel between Santa Catalina Island and Southern California, (6) Tsugaru Channel between the islands of Honshu and Hokkaido in Japan, and (7) Strait of Gibraltar between Europe and Africa. No one has yet completed the Ocean’s Seven, but many swimmers are currently trying. .
There are other major marathon swims around the world including the Fehmarn Belt
, a strait connecting the Bay of Kiel and the Bay of Mecklenburg in the western part of the Baltic Sea between the German island of Fehmarn and the Danish island of Lolland.
and International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame do not keep records for swims that employ thermal insulating material, drag reduction fabric, buoyancy aide, breathing apparatus, propulsion prosthetic, etc.... For major channel crossings, most organizations do allow the swimmer to use outside help. An example being that the swimmer swims alongside a boat which uses sophisticated electronics and telecommunications to help the swimmer take the easiest path through surface currents and tides. Such boats can also make the challenge easier for the swimmer by blocking wind and surface chop. Such boats also carry food and hot beverages for the swimmer to consume periodically during the swim (e.g. every 20 to 30 minutes).
In another variant, some swim organizations simply have different sets of records for different equipment scenarios (e.g. wetsuit and non-wetsuit divisions), similar to the structure of free diving record keeping.
has a rich tradition in these races, which are known in Dutch
as langebaanzwemmen (literally "long lane swimming") . , some have been organised continuously for over 50 years. Many Dutch competitors have also achieved prestige in the international arena, such as Herman Willemse, Judith de Nijs, Lenie de Nijs, Joke van Staveren, Monique Wildschut, Irene van der Laan, Hans van Goor
, Edith van Dijk
and Maarten van der Weijden
(olimpic medalist).
In the Netherlands, there are three categories of langebaanzwemmen:
Most events are in the long distance category, with around 25 in the Netherlands. An approximately equal number are organised in Flanders
in Belgium. The waterway
s of the Low Countries
, therefore, are some of the busiest in open water swimming in the world.
. Some of the more well-known long-distance swims are crossings of the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
, Catalina Channel, and Cook Strait
Cook Strait
Cook Strait is the strait between the North and South Islands of New Zealand. It connects the Tasman Sea on the west with the South Pacific Ocean on the east....
.
Ultra-long distance swimming is sometimes referred to as marathon swimming. The minimum distance that constitutes a marathon swim has dramatically shortened over time. Various organizations adopt various minimum distances.
Long distance swims tend to fall into one of two categories, 1) swims in which the start date and start time are chosen by the individual swimmer (often called solo-swims), and 2) swims that involve a group-start.
World marathon swimming records can be set by being the first to swim a specific distance in a specific course in a specific body of water or the fastest or the oldest or the most prolific (i.e., the most number of times in a specific location). World records are authenticated by independent observers and are defined by distance, gender, age, location and time. Distance is separated into world marathon swimming records (at least 10 kilometers) or world open water swimming records (under 10 kilometers).
The Half Century Club is a list of marathon swimmers over the age of 50 years who have successfully swum across major channels around the world. The Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming includes three famous marathon swims around the world: (1) 21 miles (33.7K) across the English Channel between England and France, (2) 21 miles (33.7K) across the Catalina Channel in Southern California, USA, and (3) 28.5 miles (45.8K) around the Manhattan Island in New York, USA. Membership in the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming requires authentification of each of these three swim
The Ocean’s Seven are marathon swimming's equivalent of the Seven Summits
Seven Summits
The Seven Summits are the highest mountains of each of the seven continents. Summiting all of them is regarded as a mountaineering challenge, first postulated as such and achieved on April 30, 1985 by Richard Bass .-Definition:...
. The Ocean’s Seven include (1) Irish Channel between Ireland and Scotland, (2) Cook Strait between the North and South Islands of New Zealand, (3) Molokai Channel between Oahu and Molokai Islands in Hawaii, (4) English Channel between England and France, (5) Catalina Channel between Santa Catalina Island and Southern California, (6) Tsugaru Channel between the islands of Honshu and Hokkaido in Japan, and (7) Strait of Gibraltar between Europe and Africa. No one has yet completed the Ocean’s Seven, but many swimmers are currently trying. .
There are other major marathon swims around the world including the Fehmarn Belt
Fehmarn Belt
Fehmarn Belt is a strait connecting the Bay of Kiel and the Bay of Mecklenburg in the western part of the Baltic Sea between the German island of Fehmarn and the Danish island of Lolland. Ferries operated by Scandlines connect Puttgarden and Rødby on the two islands.The strait features a...
, a strait connecting the Bay of Kiel and the Bay of Mecklenburg in the western part of the Baltic Sea between the German island of Fehmarn and the Danish island of Lolland.
Organization Regulations
Swim organizations, for the purposes of their record keeping, often impose other rules. FINAFina
Fina may refer to:*Fina, a character in the Skies of Arcadia video game*FINA, the International Swimming Federation*FINA, the North American Forum on Integration...
and International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame do not keep records for swims that employ thermal insulating material, drag reduction fabric, buoyancy aide, breathing apparatus, propulsion prosthetic, etc.... For major channel crossings, most organizations do allow the swimmer to use outside help. An example being that the swimmer swims alongside a boat which uses sophisticated electronics and telecommunications to help the swimmer take the easiest path through surface currents and tides. Such boats can also make the challenge easier for the swimmer by blocking wind and surface chop. Such boats also carry food and hot beverages for the swimmer to consume periodically during the swim (e.g. every 20 to 30 minutes).
In another variant, some swim organizations simply have different sets of records for different equipment scenarios (e.g. wetsuit and non-wetsuit divisions), similar to the structure of free diving record keeping.
Long distance swimming in the Netherlands
The NetherlandsNetherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
has a rich tradition in these races, which are known in Dutch
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
as langebaanzwemmen (literally "long lane swimming") . , some have been organised continuously for over 50 years. Many Dutch competitors have also achieved prestige in the international arena, such as Herman Willemse, Judith de Nijs, Lenie de Nijs, Joke van Staveren, Monique Wildschut, Irene van der Laan, Hans van Goor
Hans van Goor
Hans van Goor is a retired Dutch long distance swimmer who won a silver medal at the 1993 European Championships. He also swam the English Channel on 4 September 1995 in a time of 8 h and 02 mins, which stood as a European record until 2003...
, Edith van Dijk
Edith van Dijk
Edith van Dijk is a Dutch swimmer and 6-fold world champion. She is Holland's most successful open water swimmer and long distance swimmer, whose career started in 1990 taking part in the Dutch IJsselmeermarathon...
and Maarten van der Weijden
Maarten van der Weijden
Maarten van der Weijden is a Dutch long distance and marathon swimmer born in Alkmaar.Van der Weijden was known as a promising swimming talent in his youth, becoming Dutch national champion at the 1500 m freestyle , 400 m freestyle and 5 km open water...
(olimpic medalist).
In the Netherlands, there are three categories of langebaanzwemmen:
- Prestatietochten (lit. "achievement-tour"): distances over 250 m for all categories (inclusive of participants without a racing permit).
- Langeafstandzwemmen (lit. "long distance swimming): distances up to 10 km. This category includes open water events. In this category there are the Open Nationale Kampioenschappen in 5 km and 10 km freestyleFreestyle swimmingFreestyle is an unregulated swimming style used in swimming competitions according to the rules of FINA. The front crawl stroke is almost universally used during a freestyle race, as this style is generally the fastest...
, with separate events for professionalProfessionalA professional is a person who is paid to undertake a specialised set of tasks and to complete them for a fee. The traditional professions were doctors, lawyers, clergymen, and commissioned military officers. Today, the term is applied to estate agents, surveyors , environmental scientists,...
s and amateurAmateurAn amateur is generally considered a person attached to a particular pursuit, study, or science, without pay and often without formal training....
s, and - Marathonzwemmen (lit. "marathon swimming"): distances over 10 km. The Nationale Kampioenschap (national championship) in this category is a joint venture with neighbouring BelgiumBelgiumBelgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
.
Most events are in the long distance category, with around 25 in the Netherlands. An approximately equal number are organised in Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
in Belgium. The waterway
Waterway
A waterway is any navigable body of water. Waterways can include rivers, lakes, seas, oceans, and canals. In order for a waterway to be navigable, it must meet several criteria:...
s of the Low Countries
Low Countries
The Low Countries are the historical lands around the low-lying delta of the Rhine, Scheldt, and Meuse rivers, including the modern countries of Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and parts of northern France and western Germany....
, therefore, are some of the busiest in open water swimming in the world.
See also
- :Category: Long-distance swimmers
- Open water swimmingOpen water swimmingOpen water swimming takes place in outdoor bodies of water such as open oceans, bays, lakes, rivers, canals, and reservoirs.The beginning of the modern age of open water swimming is sometimes taken to be May 3, 1810, when Lord Byron swam several miles to cross the Hellespont from Europe to Asia.In...
- Long-distance swimming in the open water
- Fehmarn BeltFehmarn BeltFehmarn Belt is a strait connecting the Bay of Kiel and the Bay of Mecklenburg in the western part of the Baltic Sea between the German island of Fehmarn and the Danish island of Lolland. Ferries operated by Scandlines connect Puttgarden and Rødby on the two islands.The strait features a...
- Beltquerunghttp://www.Beltquerung.de