Beth French Makes Cook Strait Up
Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California. Beth French continues on her unprecedented journey to complete the Oceans Seven within one calendar year.
After completing the Catalina Channel in October 2016 (19 hours 7 minutes) and the Molokai Channel in December 2016 (17 hours 59 minutes), she set off on her Cook Strait challenge, but experienced her first career DNF. Ten days later, she completed a successful Cook Strait crossing with a 9 hour 11 minute swim from the South Island to the North Island.
She started at 7:52 am on the South Island and finished at 5:03 pm on the North Island escorted by pilot Neil Palfreyman and observed by Ella Hewton.
Her initial DNF (read here) made today’s success in the 16-18°C water all the sweeter.
Update: Beth French’s Cook Strait crossing was not ratified because she crossed without a representative from the Cook Strait governing body on board.
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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.
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