Swimming With The Flying Dragon
It is only 19.5 km from shore to shore, a mere 12 miles at its closest point across the Tsugaru Channel.Comparing the times of the channel crossings of the 14 swimmers who have crossed the 21-mile English Channel, the 20.2-mile Catalina Channel and the 12-mile Tsugaru Channel, the average times are comparable:
* English Channel = 13 hours 23 minutes
* Catalina Channel = 12 hours 31 minutes
* Tsugaru Channel = 13 hours 39 minutes (not including the 3 DNFs of swimmers who crossed the English Channel but not the Tsugaru Channel)
Not only does the geographic layout of the shorelines and currents cause huge eddies, but the winds are a forceful obstacle of the Tsugaru Channel. The very name of one of the starting points in the Tsugaru Channel gives a hint as to why this channel is such a challenge: Tappi Misaki or 竜飛岬 in the original Japanese language means The Cape of the Flying Dragon. “Tappi Misaki has a strong wind all year round,” explains Yuko Matsuzaki of the Tsugaru Channel Swimming Association and pro marathon swimmer.
“The wind around Tappi Misaki is making sounds, just like a dragon is flying in the sky. This area has a wind power generation plant. Swimmers have to understand that no matter what happens, they will face a strong wind and no one can guess how strong the wind will be on any day. This is why swimmers have to start swimming really fast in the beginning if they start on Tappi Misaki. If you think even pace, they may see DNF. 19.5 km may sounds easy. but all the swimmers who have swam in the Tsugaru Channel know it is hard.”
Copyright © 2014 by World Open Water Swimming Association
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.
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