The bar was raised by a team in California and may be raised yet again by a team in Israel.

The Night Train Swimmers set the world record for the longest non-stop ocean relay swim in history when they completed a 228-mile (367 km) swim down the California coast from north of Santa Barbara to the San Diego Yacht Club in 100 hours 28 minutes from 22-26 August 2013. Under the direction of captain Vito Bialla with navigator Hal McCormick and Observer Patrick Horn, its relay members included Phil Cutti, David Holscher, Zach Jirkovsky, Luane Rowe, Blair Cannon, and Grace van der Byl.

And next week, the Cyprus Israel Relay Swim for Youth at Risk will attempt an equally audacious 380 km (236-mile) world record 6-person relay from Cyprus to Israel in the Mediterranean Sea.

The relay will begin on October 18th under the following conditions:

*The swimmers will embark a catamaran yacht in Limassol harbor and sail to the starting point.
*Each swimmer will swim approximately 10-12 km every day for 5-6 consecutive days.
*If a swimmer for one reason or another may not be able to continue the journey, the team will decide whether to abandon or to continue with fewer swimmers.

The swimmers include Udi Erell (shown above), Doron Amosi, Ben Enosh, Ori Sela, Oded Rahav, and Luc Chetboun with Erez Amir, Nimrod Or, and Uri Brown as crew.

It is an unprecedented relay that is expected to take up to 6 days. Their goals are varied as the men who make up the team:

*No one has done it before – We are acting out of inspiration and a sense of pioneering challenge
*Teamwork – The task can’t be done alone – only the team as a whole can win
*Contribution to the community – fundraising for youth at risk
*Promoting swimming and the open water
*Persistence and perseverance – Set a goal, stick to it and achieve it
*Personal challenge- “I can do it” – placing a groundbreaking goal, facing uncertainty, lack of control (darkness, weather, sea conditions)
*Setting a new world record

Follow the 380 km odyssey here. For more information, visit here.

Copyright © 2013 by World Open Water Swimming Association