Italian amputee Salvatore Cimmino is forging forward with his Swimming in the Seas of the Globe (A Nuoto nei Mari del Globo, an international series of swim by to promote disability awareness.

Salvatore became the first amputee to swim across the Cook Strait. He crossed the choppy 26K channel between the North Island (Makara coast) and South Island (Perano Head) in 8 hours and 20 minutes with a custom-fit wetsuit.

Despite the deviation from traditional channel swimming rules, the feat is remarkable due to the time of year he accomplished it. It is also part of Salvatore’s global swimming tour aimed at raising disability awareness, called Swimming in the Seas of the Globe (A Nuoto nei Mari del Globo).

Salvatore had his right leg amputated at the age of 15 due to cancer and began swimming later in life for therapeutic reasons before turning it into a passion for raising disability awareness and setting off on the following swims:

1. Israel – Lake Tiberias – 17K – May 2010
2. Italy/Slovenia – Trieste/Koper – 21K – September 2010
3. Argentina – Rio Paranà FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix – 42K – January 2011
4. Mexico – Sumidero Canyon FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix – 15K – May 2011
5. Canada – Vancouver – 20K – June 2011
6. New Zealand – Cook Strait – 20K – September 2011
7. Australia – Brisbane – 20K – January 2012
8. Republica Democratica del Congo



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