Readers' Swims
Immerse yourself in fellow swimmers' personal narratives, sharing their swimming stories and memorable experiences.
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“Swimming has been my lifesaver”
Derek Yach kept swimming while receiving treatment for cancer – he shares his incredible story with us.
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Our oldest mixed relay across the English Channel
David Rock and his swim buddies tell us about their record-breaking (pending ratification) oldest mixed 4-person relay across the Channel,…
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Unsinkable: Alan Corcoran’s swim of the length of Ireland
Alan Corcoran swam the length of Ireland in memory of his father. He spoke to Jonathan Cowie about his experience.
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Leszek Naziemiec’s Yukon Odyssey
After conquering the 1,000km Vistula River in his native Poland, adventure swimmer Leszek Naziemiec turned his attention to the far…
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Capturing and swimming New York City’s waters
Photography led Paul Frangipane to reconnect to his home city of New York and rediscover his love of swimming
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“I learnt to swim from scratch then took on an English Channel relay”
Hafsa Mughal went from complete beginner to English Channel relay swimmer, all in the space of five months. Now an…
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In memory of Naomi Crowder
Just days before she was taken ill, Naomi told a friend that one of the best days of her life…
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My Dart 10K swim
Carine Evans shares her experience of taking part in an iconic swimming event, the Dart 10K in beautiful Devon.
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Wayne Singleton’s Solway to Silverdale swim
What do you do if you can’t get a slot to swim the English Channel? Rather than sit on a…
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Trash, lice and tankers: a lap around Staten Island
Daniel Shailer shares Leslie Hamilton's story of her record-breaking swim around Staten Island, braving rusting hulks and sea lice.
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Chasing my childhood dream
Epilepsy took away Glyn Marston’s childhood dream of swimming the English Channel. Can he take it back?
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Tricks of the mind: swimming in the Faroe Islands
Ben Lane undertook a magnificent swim in the Faroe Islands. Here he shares the mental and physical challenges of exploring…
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Like the birds in the sky
In this beautiful ode to cold-water swimming, Canadian reader Glenda Bonne ponders on what draws her and other "like-minded crazy…
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Shared adventures with Go Dipping
Cold-water dipper Sam Dodge tells us about his community hub Go Dipping, where swimmers can meet and encourage each other…
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A swim against suicide
Irish swimmer Ger Moore has swum the length of the River Shannon (250km) to raise awareness and funds for suicide…
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All the Lakes Without a Break
Outdoor Swimmer catches up with Matt Dawson after he set a new record in the Lake District
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Second all-female relay swim across the Bristol Channel
The Langland Sharks, an all-female relay team, swam through the night to complete this challenging crossing between England and Wales.
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“I swam 1km in every Irish county in one weekend”
On 16 June, endurance athlete Damien Wildes embarked on an extraordinary swimming challenge – to swim 1km in each of…
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A swim from Hurst Castle to the Needles
Kate Steels pilots a new swimming challenge, raising an astonishing amount for a cause close to her heart. Rowan Clarke…
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From bucket to bog snorkelling
When Margaret Bell’s swimming instructor told her to blow bubbles into a bucket of water to help with her breathing,…
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Readers’ Swims: Lanzarote to Fuerteventura
Mark Johansen tackled the 16km Bocaina Strait while on holiday
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Swimming in Lake Malawi National Park
Lake Malawi – the world’s ninth largest lake covering an area larger than Wales – is where Dennis Lupenga learnt to…
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Swimming the Lakes – as fast as possible
Matt Dawson wants to swim the 13 publicly accessible lakes of the Lake District in a record time Outdoor Swimmer:…
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In Memoriam: Jody Jones
On Monday, 7 November, swimmer Jody Jones died from bowel cancer. Friend and swimmer, Mark Johansen honours his dear friend.
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Learning to breathe above water
Natasha Longridge is a photographer from Belfast, Northern Ireland, who suffers from hypochondria. In 2020 she discovered the benefits of…
