Stephen Redmond is flying from Ireland to Hokkaido, Japan today with his trusty team of four.

He will set off sometime this coming week on his assault of the 7th and final swim of the Oceans Seven – the Tsugaru Channel in northern Japan.

Admittedly nervous about the language barriers and cold water, Redmond most definitely has what it takes to become the first person in history to complete the Oceans Seven.

Two weeks ago, two very accomplished marathon swimmers stood on the shores of Honshu waiting for warmer and calmer waters to cross the Tsugaru Channel. They never began their planned Tsugaru Channel due to the wind-whipped turbulent 10°C whitewash strait. These conditions have to weigh heavily on Redmond’s thoughts as he flies over the polar ice cap to Japan.

The Oceans Seven are massively difficult open water swims: a solo crossing of the North Channel (between Scotland and Ireland), English Channel (between England and France), Catalina Channel (between Catalina Island and California), Strait of Gibraltar (between Spain and Morocco), Cook Strait (between North and South Islands in New Zealand), Molokai Channel (between Molokai and Oahu in Hawaii) and the Tsugaru Channel (between Honshu and Hokkaido in Japan).

Who are other open water swimmers close to achieving the elusive goal of the Oceans Seven?

1. Stephen Redmond (Ireland): English Channel, North Channel, Catalina Channel, Strait of Gibraltar, Cook Strait: 6 with 1 more to go (scheduled to cross the Tsugaru Channel in June 2012).
1. Penny Palfrey (Australia): English Channel, Strait of Gibraltar, Catalina Channel, Cook Strait, Molokai Channel, Tsugaru Channel: 6 with 1 more to go (scheduled to cross the North Channel in August 2012).
3. Michelle Macy (USA): English Channel, Catalina Channel, Cook Strait, Strait of Gibraltar, Molokai Channel: 5 with 2 more to go (Tsugaru Channel rescheduled for summer 2012 and an unannounced North Channel attempt)
4. Darren Miller (USA): English Channel, Catalina Channel, Molokai Channel, Strait of Gibraltar: 4 with 3 more to go (Tsugaru Channel scheduled between 10-12 July 2012, Cook Strait for March 2013, and the North Channel for August 2013).
4. James Pittar (Australia): English Channel, Catalina Channel, Cook Strait and Strait of Gibraltar: 4 with 3 more to go (remaining schedule unannounced).
4. Kevin Murphy (England): English Channel, Catalina Channel, North Channel and Strait of Gibraltar: 4 with 3 more to go (remaining schedule unannounced).
4. Forrest Nelson (USA): English Channel, Catalina Channel (both ways and two-way), Molokai Channel (both ways) and Cook Strait: 4 with 3 more more to go (remaining schedule unannounced).
4. Bula Chowdhury Chakraborty (India): English Channel (twice), Catalina Channel, Cook Strait and Strait of Gibraltar: 4 with 3 more to go (remaining schedule unannounced).
4. Tom Hecker (USA): English Channel, Catalina Channel, Cook Strait and Strait of Gibraltar: 4 with 3 more to go (remaining schedule unannounced).
4. Pieter Christian Jongeneel Anderica (Spain): English Channel, Catalina Channel, Cook Strait and Strait of Gibraltar: 4 with 3 more to go (Molokai Channel scheduled for 2012).
4. T. Scott Coleman (USA): English Channel, Catalina Channel, Cook Strait and Strait of Gibraltar: 4 with 3 more to go.
11. Michael Miller (USA): Molokai Channel, English Channel, Catalina Channel: 3 with 4 more to go (remaining schedule unannounced).
11. Anna-Carin Nordin (Sweden): Molokai Channel, English Channel, Strait of Gibraltar: 3 with 4 more to go (Catalina Channel scheduled for July 2012, Tsugaru Channel scheduled for September 2012, North Channel scheduled for 2012 and Cook Strait scheduled for 2014)

Photo courtesy of Mike Lewis.

Copyright © 2012 by World Open Water Swimming Association