FEATURES

In-depth features that celebrate the vibrant outdoor swimming community, spotlighting extraordinary individuals and their stories.

Keep it clean

It’s reasonable, I suppose, to assume open water swimmers prefer to practise their sport in clean water. Nobody really likes…
Five swims in five countries for a five-star son

After the sudden death of my son James in December 2015 and the long wait for the autopsy which showed…
Vicky Miller to swim from the Scilly Isles to UK mainland

Last year Vicky Miller became the tenth woman to swim the North Channel, one of the toughest crossings in the…
Swimming the length of the United Kingdom’s longest river

On Saturday, after 18 days and 360km, Ross O’Sullivan finished swimming the length of Great Britain’s longest river, the River…
You get what you train for (mostly)

Last weekend was the infamous BLDSA Champion of Champions in Dover Harbour. I took part for the second time and…
Oxford versus Cambridge – Across the English Channel

It’s not the usual thing you’d expect students to be doing in the very early hours of the morning, but…
A never-ending swimming journey

Often in swimming we set goals with a clearly defined end point: complete an open water mile, swim the length…
Club of the Month – Brockwell Icicles

The Brockwell Icicles are an informal group of friends who share a love of winter swimming at Brockwell Lido in…
Swimming my way to recovery

The 16th February 2010 is etched in my memory as the day I heard the words “you may never walk again”.…
Hold your line and keep on swimming

During a Q&A at the RLSS Open Water Festival last weekend a swimmer asked: “What should I do if I’m…
Cross-country runner to open water swimmer

After injury forced my reluctant retirement from athletics after 40 years – the last 17 of them as an international…
More on the power of pacing

I hope this isn’t beginning to sound repetitive but I want to talk about pacing, again. I have new data…
What’s your swim training type (and what does it say about your personality)?

When you arrive at a swimming training session, how do you approach it – and what does it say about…
Don’t talk open water swimming down

This weekend we had a stand at Swim Expo in Manchester. We like events as they’re great places to talk…
Sean Conway talks about rafts, unsupported swims and using tidal currents

On 1 April 2016 Sean Conway will set off on his around Britain triathlon. Starting at Lulworth Cove he will…
Theodore Yach completes 100 Robben Island swims: interview

At just over 7km from the mainland and visible from Cape Town the possibility of swimming from Robben Island has…
Don’t follow your dreams

I have a confession to make. For the past few months my swimming has been pretty much confined to the…
Masters of the universe

The phrase ‘masters swimming’ is perhaps not the best to describe what is, in essence, structured swimming, with an option…
The first open water swim of the year

When you’ve spent the winter cosseted in warm indoor pools, your first open water swim of the year can be…
In the wake of Mercedes Gleitze

I grew up on the Causeway coast of Ireland in a little seaside town called Portstewart. I am now 33, a…
We need to change attitudes to swimming outside

The other day I was looking back at a Guardian article about open water swimming from last year (Different strokes:…
Why volunteer at an open water swimming event?

At many open water events you’ll see people in high-vis vests directing swimmers to the starting line, giving you a…
H2Open celebrates five years – with a pool party!

It might seem slightly ironic for a magazine that promotes open water swimming that we decided to celebrate five years…
Dancing in the Water

Dancing in the Water by Wayne Ewing follows US adventure swimmer Matthew Moseley as he swims 25 miles across Lake Pontchartrain…
Lucinda River

Lucinda River from Phillip Wood on Vimeo. Lucinda River is a film by Phillip Wood following a group of swimmers running…