Donal Buckley reports that Stephen Redmond is on his way to fifth leg of the Oceans Seven – with a start in the Cook Strait today.
“This [Oceans Seven] is something that is driving me,” said the famed Irish marathon swimmer who has already completed the English Channel, Catalina Channel, North Channel and Strait of Gibraltar. After his Cook Strait swim, he has the Tsugaru Channel and Molokai Channel scheduled for this summer.
With Penny Palfrey of Australia gearing up for her warm Cuba-to-Florida swim in June before attempting her final swim for the Oceans Seven in the cold North Channel late, it is turning out to be quite a race to see who will become the first individual to complete the Oceans Seven. Will it be the Irish stalwart swimming in the Pacific Ocean or the Australian dynamo swimming in the Irish Sea come this August?
Stay tuned.
But first things first. Stephen’s swim across the Cook Strait can be followed here.
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.