Caroline Block is a 32-year-old American anthropologist from Baltimore, Maryland who completed two Oceans Seven channel swims this summer within six weeks.
Her English Channel swim was completed in 11 hours 52 minutes; her North Channel crossing was finished in 14 hours 31 minutes, escorted by Pádraig Mallon of Infinity Channel Swimming and Piloting Services. Both channel crossings were accomplished within a space of six weeks. She then traveled back to the East Coast of the USA to complete a Manhattan Island circumnavigation with a 20 Bridges Swim of 8 hours 48 minutes.
She attempted two other swims during her summer season, but Mother Nature prevented her from finishing both. The Lake George Marathon Swim was cancelled after five hours of swimming in deteriorating weather conditions and the Tampa Bay Marathon Swim was cancelled after 3½ hours.
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.