Days after completing the English Channel in 10 hours 47 minutes in August, Attila Mányoki of Hungary headed over the Kalamata, Greece for the 25th annual Kalamata – Koroni Marathon.

“On August 22nd, I drove back from the English Channel and I left for Greece on the 27th. During this time, there wasn’t a chance to swim because my trips and other meetings. But I was able to swam a little in the warm, clear seawater at Koroni on the 28th, giving me two days for the swim and recovery. But I felt OK.

The night before, I checked the weather conditions over the Messinian Gulf. The forecast predicted a change in the wind direction and a current, not strong but enough.

In the beginning, I was swimming with Fernando Ciaramella and Eduardo Baca of Argentina. They left me around the halfway through [the 30 km] the distance, but when came the wind and waves, I was swimming next to them around the seventh hour. After a hard 30-minute [surge], it was finally enough and Fernando was 3 minutes behind. I felt good because there wasn’t any pressure on me. I just enjoyed my swim. Of course I was tired but it was sweet. I finally won the event after 22 years. In 1991, it was the first time that I swam there – it was my first international marathon swimming competition. Every year, I swam there. In the last few years, I did a double-crossing, but my aim was to do 100 km or more but finally lost it. I will not to try [these long swims] in the future; this challenge is over there.”

Mányoki’s last several swims in the Swimming Marathon of the Messinian Gulf are as follows:

* 25th annual in 2013 – 8:00 (first)
* 24th annual in 2012 – 21 hours (completed 60 km of attempted 90 km triple crossing)
* 23rd annual in 2011 – 25 hours (completed 68 km of an attempted 90 km triple crossing)
* 21st annual in 2009 – 9:22 hours (fourth)
* 20th annual in 2008 – 8:51 (third)
* 18th annual in 2006 – 9:45 (fifth)
* 17th annual in 2005 – 9:56 (third)
* 16th annual in 2004 – 8:15 (fourth)
* 15th annual in 2003 – 8:16 (third)

He also swam in the Austrian Cup series in preparation. “In all the events, I did well with my speed was okay and I knew my training went well.” And it all came together in the summertime in Greece.

Results of the 25th annual 30 km Swimming Marathon of the Messinian Gulf:

1. Attila Mányoki (Hungary) 8:00
2. Fernando Dario Ciaramella (Argentina) 8:03
3. Nadir Eduardo Baca Paunero (Argentina) 8:27
4. Aikaterini Sidiropoulou (Greece) 8:43
5. Margarita Avila Sanchez (Spain) 8:55
6. Maria Angeles De Simon (Argentina) 9:23
7. Giuseppe D’Alessandro (Italy) 9:30
8. Sale Savuel (Austria) 9:35
9. Manfred Spitzwieser (Austria) 9:37
10. Ioannis Patsarinos (Greece) 9:43
11. Selina Moreno Pasagali (Spain) 10:12
12. Ramon Tarrago Castella (Spain) 10:13
13. Triantafillos Petrakis (Greece) 10:20
14. Sofia Psilolignou (Greece) 10:30
15. Ramses Gavidia Camara (Spain) 11:20
16. Ioannis Orfanidis (Greece) DNF

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