Andrew Chin has taken up many challenges around the world – from mid-winter lake swims in Switzerland to swims in Patagonia to ice swims in Antartica.
But the Cape Town master of adventure is on his fifth Swim for Rivers, a stage swim that raises awareness around the poor state of South Africa’s rivers and the importance of restoring them.
The Swim for Rivers involves 100 – 350 km stage swims down in a major river in South Africa’s nine provinces.
Chin set off on November 20th from the source of the Mtamvuna River in Harding district, near Kokstad. His 10-day stage swim will cover 165 km of the river from source to sea, swimming for 5 – 10 hours per day. Fellow South African ice swimmer David Taitz is driving a support vehicle to assist Chin and helping with the safety and logistics along the way.
Chin will start off swimming in a relatively clean river near the source, but he will encounter pollution around towns and towards the end.
Chin connects with community members and at local schools where he gives talks on the importance of our rivers.
Southern California native, born 1962, is the creator of the WOWSA Awards, Oceans Seven, Openwaterpedia, Citrus Corps, World Open Water Swimming Association, Daily News of Open Water Swimming, Global Open Water Swimming Conference. He is Chief Executive Officer of KAATSU Global and KAATSU Research Institute. Inductee in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Swimmer, Class of 2001) and Ice Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Contributor - Media, Class of 2019), recipient of the International Swimming Hall of Fame's Poseidon Award (2016), International Swimming Hall of Fame's Irving Davids-Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award (2010), USA Swimming's Glen S. Hummer Award (2007, 2010) and Harvard University's John B. Imrie Award (1984). Served on the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee and as Technical Delegate with the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games, and 9-time USA Swimming coaching staff. Note: WOWSA only recommends products or services used or recommended by the community. WOWSA does not receive compensation for links or products mentioned on this site or in blog posts. If it does, it will be indicated clearly on that specific post. See WOWSA's privacy policy for more information.