This second bonus episode is with the legendary Ger Kennedy. Ger was the overall captain and organiser of this mad and beautiful idea to put two five person relay teams together to swim the English Channel on a very cold winter day in January 2024. With the sea temperature around 7 degrees and air temp around 2 degrees, both teams set off in earnest, having done weeks of cold water preparation... I loved this chat as it is about ten people pushing the envelope of what is possible in winter swimming. Enjoy!!

In January of 2024 two teams of five swimmers set off to become the first winter relays to swim the English Channel. With the air temperature at 2 degrees and the water around 7 degrees, the men's team were successful in 14 hours and 45 minutes. Each team member swimming at least three one hour rotations in just their trunks, goggles and swim hat, as per EC Swimming rules. Sadly, the women's team had to abort due to a boat malfunction: that being said, while the boat was stationary and the crew were attempting to remove the issue, the women's team had to tread water alongside the bobbing vessel: again as per the hourly swim rotation rules. This event was some of the most extreme cold water swimming I have ever seen, and I was lucky enough to chat to two of the men's team... this episode is with one of the most humble swimmers you are ever likely to meet: Lee Johnson.

The final episode of Season Four is with a young man who has written himself firmly into the record books. Brian Foster, the 16 year old who in 2024 became the first man (second person) to swim the North Channel Double and also becoming then youngest ever soloist in the process. His double took him a remarkable 24 hours and 50 minutes... He also swam the English Channel and Catalina in preparation for this remarkable achievement. We chat all things Sandy Cove, swimming proper sets in the sea all year round and generally what makes this young man so special.
Season 4 is in collaboration with Ocean Lube, the ocean-friendly anti-chafing skin cream that saves your skin and protects our oceans.

Today’s guest is with a former GBR elite athlete, who was originally a 400 IM swimmer, turned 10km OW swimmer. She talks very openly and candidly about her struggles with competing at the highest level of the sport, recovering form injury and also an eating disorder which very nearly took her out of the sport altogether. Once she had hung up her goggles from the sport, she decided to swim the English Channel, after also completing the Straights of Gibraltar swim. As you do. This is a wonderful chat and it was my honour to speak to Amber Keegan…

Season 4 is in collaboration with Ocean Lube the anti-chafing skin cream that protects your skin and saves our oceans.

Episode ten of An Open Water Swimmer's Podcast, is with Paul de Waard. Originally from the Netherlands, he now resides in a corner of Ireland where very cold open water swimming is the norm for a large community of swimmers. Sandy Cove has become synonymous with a hardcore group of Irish swimmers, who train throughout the year - swimming lap after lap (one lap is roughly a mile). A former competitive swimmer, he has completed the gnarly 34.5km North Channel - battling yet more cold and the infamous Lionsmane Jellyfish along the way. But perhaps most inspiring is what led him to this corner of the globe after heroically trying to help a person in distress… and recovering from the ensuing gunshot wound.

Season four is in collaboration with Ocean Lube the ocean-friendly anti-chafing skin cream that saves your skin and protects our oceans.

Episode 9 of Season 4 is with Halani Moss-Vete who is originally from Hawaii, and swam the English Channel in 2022. Her home waters were calling for her and she swam the 26 miles of the Molokai Channel in 2024; battling currents and jellyfish along the way in a staggering 29 hour swim. The currents themselves, while a huge obstacle, actually made her land somewhere special at the end of the swim, in familiar waters... it was like the ocean knew as you'll find out in the podcast.

Season 4 is in collaboration with Ocean Lube the ocean-friendly anti-chafing skin cream that protects your skin and saves our oceans.

Episode 8 with the extraordinary Jonty Warneken. Jonty beautifully takes us through his journey as a Para-marathon Swimmer and Ice Swimmer. Dubbed "the first disabled Ice Miler", Jonty has completed some incredible swims including the 65km Round Jersey Swim, Windermere Solo and the first disabled relay to team to swim the North Channel. Jonty is a Guinness World Record holder for Para distance Ice Swimming and is a Vice President of IISA and global board member. He is Co Chair of the Ice Swimming Hall of Fame. It was such a pleasure to chat to him.

Season 4 is in collaboration with Ocean Lube the ocean-friendly anti-chafing skin cream that protects your skin and saves our oceans.

Episode 7 is with the lovely Emma France. Emma runs the famous DCT group and has been instrumental in helping heaps of swimmers achieve their goals of swimming The English Channel. An Accomplished swimmer herself with three solos and twenty EC relays shew knows her onions... Was a pleasure chatting to someone with such a wealth of experience to share.

Season 4 is in collaboration with Ocean Lube, the Ocean friendly anti-chafing skin cream that saves your skin and protects our oceans.

The legendary Phillip Rush joins me for episode six... He had an illustrious career as an elite athlete and in 1987 he famously swam a three way of the English Channel: on that swim he broke 5 world records. He still holds the fastest two and three way crossings; his two way was a staggering 16hrs and 10mins (7.55 / 8.15) and his three way was 28hrs and 21mins. He now coaches and mentors many a marathon swimmer in his native New Zealand.

Episode 5 of Season 4 is with the amazing Amy Ennion. Among her achievements are Lake Geneva (28 hours), the English Channel, Guernsey to France (becoming the first person to ever swim that route) and she is not done yet with more swims planned for 2025. We chat about training, mind-set and the importance of keeping the fun in swimming.

Season 4 is in collaboration wit Ocean Lube the ocean-friendly anti-chafing skin cream that protects your skin and saves our oceans...