Sorry, I have been neglecting my blog!
Layout changes have messed it up. So, a project for the winter – with missing content to be added – 
Like my recent EC attempt Sept. 15, 2024: https://www.youtube.com/live/MErp61Rl_-Y
Aborted by the pilot for safety reasons at the edge ofthe separation zone after less than 8 hours of swimming, when the wind picked up to F5/F6 and the change of tides meant wind against increasingly stronger currents.
Five more channel boats out of 11 also turned round that day (one experienced helper writing it was the worst conditions out in the Channel she had ever experienced), and 2 more pulled their swimmers a few hours later, not reaching France. An expensive “training swim” with lots of “dancing in the waves”, but nothing to regret. The Channel is the Channel and this is open water swimming, and safety comes first. But I will be back in Dover – and hopefully finish my project Dover-Heidelberg still in this incarnation! 🙂
August 2024
My 10th Marathon Swim Rapperswil-Zurich in the books (26 km, in 12:20 h)
Pfoto: Women Masters (over 50): Tita Llorens Bagur (Spain) 1st place in 9 h 31, Kate Mason, GB, 2nd in 11 h 47, and myself 3rd in 12 h 20.
After the sad “wipe-out” in 2023 due to horrible weather and storm everyone was happy the 36th edition of our Sri Chinmoy Marathon Swim Rapperswil-Zurich went ahead in so much better conditions. 25°C water, mix of sunny and overcast – good for helpers and swimmers alike. Just a challenging head wind on the final stretch to make it quite difficult for rowers to keep up! Still not easy, especially for salt water swimmers used to more buoyancy. I was lucky the weather allowed to extend the 12 hour cut-off at the end, so I was able to finish my 10th Lake Zürich swim officially in 12 hours 20 min. – yeah!!!
(In the early years slower swimmers were allowed to start 1 hour early, but I did not want that. The cut-off is mainly for safety reasons and flexible if the weather stays calm and the swimmer is still strong.) Our team member Andrea Marcato, who is running the 3100 mile race in N.Y. for the 5th time again this year (after 4 wins!) also swam Lake Zurich – his 5th finish!
Results and photos from August 4, 2024 here:
https://ch.srichinmoyraces.org/z%C3%BCrichsee-schwimmen-marathon-swim/previous-results/2024#node-75385
or here: https://eurgallery.srichinmoyraces.org/Ch/36-Int-Sri-Chinmoy-Marathon-Schwimmen-2024
My swim report from 2022 is pretty much still valid for 2024 – with a nice interview with Andrea at the end: https://ch.srichinmoyraces.org/files/ch/result-pdfs/2022/Race%20Report%202022%20by%20Vasanti%20Niemz.pdf
Updates Cork DIstance Weeks 2022 / 2023 /2024 missing
Swim Camp Jersey Mai 2024
Training Bretagne July 2024