An Open Water Swimmer's Podcast

Thank you to all my guests for Season 5... what a magical season it was.If you are planning an Open Water swim: whether it is the English Channel or perhaps your first 5km lake swim, please get in touch as would love to work with you. Please visit owswimpod.com for all the coaching packages I am offering, and a way to contact me.Until the next time: Happy Swimming!

(Available to subscribers only, episode free to play 4th April)My final guest for the season is an astonishing endurance athlete and swimmer. He has rowed across the Indian Ocean; and then decided quite casually to swim the Ocean 7, completing all seven swims from 2012 to 2018… Since then he has pioneered some ridiculous swims: including, in 2018 swimming a 90km circumnavigation around Barbados in 40 hours 46 minutes; and in 2019 he swam the 150km from Barbados to St. Lucia, a swim that took him just under 57 hours. Most recently he swam a 53 km crossing of Lake Issyk Kul in Kyrgyzstan in 18 hours 18 minutes, raising money for his own charity to support 15 rural schools in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. I so enjoyed this chat, it was so inspiring: I think you’ll be amazed at his temperament - oh and don’t miss the part about being stung by box jellyfish… it’s the legendary Cameron Bellamy.Kyrgyzstan Swim (YouTube):https://youtu.be/tz0Irv5QJQ0?si=9mkMEgeBTByIpz20The Ubunye Challenge (YouTube):https://youtu.be/Th7b1KglbrY?si=Fix-R_GocThvpwY7

(Episode available to subscribers only. Free to play at end of Season 5.)I chatted to this extraordinary swimmer back in 2024, after she had swam the 70km of Lake Geneva: breaking the British Record at the time. We also crewed together for Andrew Cornish’s Lake Geneva swim in September 2025 (Episode 6 of Season 5) and having her experience, nous and professionalism on the boat made all the difference to keeping Andy in the water. She has swam some superb swims as well, including The English Channel, Guernsey to France, Lake Windermere, SCAR and most recently Loch Ness… It’s of course Amy Ennion!

(Available to subscribers only, episode free to play 21st March)Today’s guest is a phenomenal swimmer, who relishes the cold: she has completed the British Triple Crown, the English Channel, Bristol Channel and the gnarly North Channel: which she swam after being blown out for a year, only to break a record and become the earliest female, swimming that stretch of water in just under 19 hours in 12 degrees of water. An incredible swim. She has swam three ice miles, and also completed the chilly Loch Ness in 18 hours… it’s Dr Jo Stokoe!

(Available to subscribers only, episode free to play 28th March)This guest is an incredible Para Swimmer… Ros Hardiman has spent most of her adult life in a wheelchair, having contracted Polio at age 6. She represented GB at 2 Paralympic Games and broke 8 Paralympic world records in the S7 and SB6 categories. She is an inductee into the marathon swimming hall of fame, class of 2024: having swam The English Channel in 2009 in just over 20 hours; and it is also with noting that the year prior to that in 2008, she agonisingly fell 700m short of the French coast after being in the water for over 24 hours. For that swim she was awarded the Frank Richards Endurance Award, for the most meritorious, often unsuccessful, endurance swim of the year across the English Channel… She has swam Lake Windermere (both directions), and in 2019 she crossed Loch Ness from south to north in 20 hours 10 minutes becoming both the oldest British women to swim it at the age of 67, and also as the first disabled swimmer… it was an absolute joy to chat to Ros Hardiman.

(Available to subscribers only until the end of Season 5)This guest is a fellow podcaster, and marathon swimmer who has been undertaking some extremely long challenges… we chat about hallucinating on a 29 hour swim, optimising efficiency as a swimmer to mitigate volume, letting go of the idea of a secret key to completing a long swim, what swimming means to you as you get older and the mental gymnastics of planning bonkers swims. It’s Shannon Keegan!

(Available to subscribers, episode free to play 14th March)This episode is with Francesco Cavliere, he is an Italian marathon swimmer, who swims totally self supported and his approach to swimming is often referred to as "Swim & Explore”. Francesco likes to emphasise the environmental and historical context of the places he swims, treating swimming as a means of discovery rather than just a sport… he runs swimming excursions throughout the Mediterranean and he has designed his own fibre glass tow boats - called “barquinos” that obviously carry all his gear. He has swam the coastlines of all 44 of the Italian islands in an epic 13 year feat… and needless to say he has endless stories to tell about the beautiful Mediterranean. I am just sad we couldn’t get more into the episode… I hope you enjoy!

(Subscribers only from 28th Feb, free to play 7th March)I have been wanting to get Brenton on the podcast for some time - I am a big fan of his YouTube channel “Effortless Swimming” and he pops up very regularly across social media showing off his coaching talents. He very nearly made Olympic trials as a swimmer - as an Australian, a huge achievement, where competition is more than fierce; and not that long ago swam the 20km of the famous Rottnest swim… He is a National Masters Record Holder and was Australian National Masters Coach of the Year in 2012. He is now a full time coach, running clinics, camps and a masters group, and his story is about staying in something you love, helping others achieve their goals; how difficult it is to heed your own advice as a coach, and building a brand and business around our sport. Brenton Ford!

(Available to Subscribers only until end of Season 5).I chatted to Colin a while ago in 2022, a man who lives right on the water at Ullswater Lake and also teaches there at his endless pool… He is no stranger to long mileage, clocking up some ridiculous distances, including a 200km a month, and not long ago hit a 100km week. In 2025 he swam the Cook Straight and also the 28 miles of The 20 Bridges of Manhattan, and is an International Marathon Swimming & Ice Swimming Hall of Fame Inductee. You may find him working for FINA at the elite events and if you frequent any of the Lake District Lakes, you may find him in the water with you, as the man loves nothing more than training: It’s Colin Hill…

(Subscribers Only. Free to play at end of Season 5).I chatted to Neil a few years ago after he had completed his World Record Lake Geneva swim, a swim he completed in 22 hours and 9 minutes. Staggeringly fast for a 70km lake swim… this was also his second attempt, having swam himself unconscious the previous year due to the unpredictable temperatures one can face in the lake. Since then he has gone on to try and complete the ten largest lakes in Switzerland, raising money for the children’s charity PANDAS, a task he is currently in the middle of having started last summer. And in fact if all goes to plan, he will finish his final lake - returning again to Lake Geneva (or Lac Leman, as it is more commonly known in Europe) in late summer this year. Bonkers stuff… Neil Gilson everyone.

Available to subscribers only until 28th February.In 2024 Vassos Alexander set his sights on swimming the English Channel. Not one to shy away from a challenge - being an ultra distance runner, he gave himself a matter of months to prepare… he also decided to write a book - journalling his training for the channel and his love and passion for open water swimming. Vassos didn’t quite make the start line on Shakespeare beach - becoming one of 2024’s delayed successes - however, his book is an ode to his delight and and love of all things open water. Of course, his successful day in the English Channel will come in the coming years and I was fortunate enough to get to chat to him in 2025, when his book had been published and he was reflecting on the both the previous years training and the community he threw himself into… such a delight to chat to: Vassos Alexander.

(Available to subscribers only from 14th Feb. Episode free to play 21st Feb).This episode is sort of the second part to episode 6, the chat with Andy Cornish, as on the same day and exactly the same time, Dani Wallwork set off to also complete the 70km of Lake Geneva. Both swimmers went through some of the most apocryphal conditions I have ever seen at night, and, like Andy, Dani called time on her swim at approximately 17 hours and roughly 55km in. Dani is no stranger to lake swimming, holding the world record for the fastest one way, two way and three way Windermere swim in a wetsuit. She has also completed Lake Zurich, and is fair to say is a rapid swimmer… I loved this episode as although I wasn’t on her boat for her Lake Geneva attempt, I was of course on the water at the same time, so I saw first hand the conditions she had to battle through. I hope you enjoy listening to Dani Wallwork!

Available to subscribers only until end of Season 5 (March 2026).This guest came on the podcast originally way back in 2023… he has swam the English Channel three times and has now taken to completing many more lake swims to add to his enormous swimming CV. Notably he was the first British person to swim the 70km of Lake Geneva and has since gone on to complete Lake Taupo, Lake Zurich and many more with his sights on further lakes soon… He also arranges the international Steve Wand memorial swims every year where around 100 swimmers congregate over a weekend for two days of 100x100 in memory of Steve who lost his life in 2016. It is Mark Sheridan….

(Episode free to play 14th Feb) This week’s guest is a Channel Swimmer, having also swam the 20 bridges of Manhattan, and Gibraltar - with The Cook Straight on his swim calendar any day now… Some big swims under his belt, and he isn't done yet. He has also forged ahead with a new business that reflects his passion for the water, namely Wildpool Shoes. If you haven’t checked them out, they are well worth a gander for any water lover. We chat about the addictiveness of swimming and trying to combine a business to the hobby we all love and want to do more of… it’s Sami Robertson.

(Available 31st January to subscribers. Episode free to play Saturday 7th February)I’ve been looking forward to this episode for some time… in July 2025, Andy Cornish swam the 33km of the English Channel. He had been blown out in 2024 rather frustratingly, due to an unlucky combination of weather, pilots retiring and boat malfunctions... He also had booked to swim the 70km of Lake Geneva in 2025: So two huge swims ended up being booked for the same year. I was lucky enough to crew for him on his Lake Geneva undertaking which was an breathtaking experience for everyone involved. Andy hit the most ferocious storm during the night on his 70km attempt which very nearly derailed the entire event: almost zero visibility, lightening, torrential rain and a fierce wind that whipped the lake up into a maelstrom for about seven hours… Andy managed to stick out the storm (and the night) and continue to swim non stop for exactly 24 hours, albeit through very gritted teeth, and landed at Meillerie, just shy of the finish. He had his swim ratified at an amazing 51km and he joined the 24hour club in the process. This is an amazing story of stop start - being on the so-called "Dovercoaster" - and also being content and satiated with the day that mother nature can give you, knowing you gave your all on such a massive lake… I recorded some voice notes throughout the day a few of which I play to Andy on the podcast for the first time… if you listen carefully you can hear him swimming in the back ground… Andrew Cornish everyone!

This lady needs no introduction, having been crowned the greatest competitive open water swimmer of all time. She won three Olympic medals, Gold at Tokyo 2016, Silver at Rio 2020 and then Gold in her final Olympics in that famous 10km in Paris 2024, where the course was challenging to say the least. On top of that she is a double World Champion in the 10km, and has won more medals in the pool and other Open Water distances. She really is the GOAT, and it was my privilege to be able to bring this chat to you… it’s Sharon van Rouwendaal…!

Episode free to play at the end of Season 5 (March 2026)This bonus episode is with the "Swim Smooth" founder and all round swimmer and international coach Paul Newsome. He came onto the podcast 5 years ago and a lot has changed since then with the launch of his swim smooth guru app; designed for swimmers to create their own training plans and it also gives live feedback on your stroke… and he is just happens to be in the best swim shape of his life. He recently completed a gruelling 16km degree swim in 30 degree water (his son periodically pouring iced water on his head) and is about to embark on another Rottnest swim, although this time as a relay. He continually champions our sport across the world and it was a delight as ever to have him on. Enjoy!

Today’s guest is a remarkable athlete: he completed the Ocean’s Seven in 2019 in a then world record time, and along the way suffered multiple visits to hospital, having been pulled unconscious out of the water twice on the odd delayed success; thanks largely to the tricky and unpredictable waters of the North Channel were he had asphyxia due to jellyfish stings, a collapsed lung and hypothermia. On separate occasions… He swam on the FINA world cup circuit, representing his native Hungary, and among his high number of other very long swims include completing an incredible 80 km crossing of Lake Balaton in 25 hours 32 minutes to join the 24-Hour Club, back in 2008. This man is a machine and an unbelievable swimmer… it’s Attila Manyoki!

Episode free to play at end of Season 5 (March 2026).We have another brilliant former guest on today who is rewriting the record books. He is only 18 and has completed the English Channel, Catalina, and a few years ago became the first male to swim the double North Channel. He is an astonishing swimmer who this year completed the first double Irish Triple Crown (double North Channel, double Galway Bay and a Triple Fastnet; It’s of course one of Sandy Cove’s favourite resident swimmers, Brian Foster.

Having come to swimming later in life my guest this week is a former top level rower turned Channel Swimmer… she is someone who consistently trains to such high level, churning out very impressive mileage extremely consistently. She swam the English Channel on her second attempt - having had a bizarre delayed success on her first; her determination and grit was wonderful to see. Among her other swims are Old Harry to the Needles, Windermere and Jersey to France… with other swims planned for the foreseeable future. It’s Julia Maguire...