The Triple Crown of Prison Island Swims, otherwise known as Triple Break, is a trio of ocean swims where swimmers challenge themselves to escape by swimming from some of the world’s most well-known island prisons: Alcatraz, Robben and Spike.
While the traditional Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming consists of the English Channel, Catalina Channel and Manhattan Island Marathon Swim, the open water presents an aquatic path of prison escape. Triple Break was first proposed by Ned Denison.
Robben Island is the former isolated prison home of Nelson Mandella and other South Africans 7.5 kilometers off the coast of Cape Town, South Africa.
Alcatraz Island is the former isolated prison home of Al Capone and other celebrated American criminals 1.5 miles from [[Aquatic Park]] in [[San Francisco Bay]] in California, U.S.A.
Spike Island (Irish: Inis Píc) is the former isolated prison home of infamous immates 2 kilometers off the coast in Cobh Harbour, Ireland.
Robben Island, Alcatraz Island and Spike Island, all once well-guarded isolated prison islands with infamous inmates in the 20th century are now 21st century sites better known for challenging cold-water swims with tricky currents as convicts have given way to open water traditionalists and wetsuit-clad swimmers.
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.