Hsu Wen-erh (許汶而) on Friday became the first Taiwanese to swim solo across the English Channel, saying she was very happy to bring Taiwan to the world.
Hsu completed the challenge in 12 hours, 17 minutes and eight seconds, after swimming across the Strait of Gibraltar in October last year.
She said she had planned to swim the English Channel in August next year, but seized the opportunity when a vacancy became available on the waiting list.
Photo courtesy Hsu Wen-erh via CNA
She went to the UK in May to train for a test that involves swimming for six hours at 16°C, which people who want to swim across the channel must pass, Hsu said.
“I shivered with cold and my fingers even changed color during the first week, but I got used to it and finally passed the test,” she said.
Hsu said she left the UK at 8:30am, swimming without a wetsuit, with the aim of reaching France before dark.
“The journey’s ninth and 10th hours were the most tiring and torturing, as the sunlight shone right in my eyes. Even wearing mirrored goggles is not enough. I swam with my eyes closed almost all the way through the last two hours,” Hsu said.
“Finally, I could see ... France, but the strong currents kept dragging me away. It was painful that I could see the shore, but could not swim ashore,” she said, adding that a seal raised its head above the water and looked at her as she made it to land.
Hsu said she also had to swim through lots of jellyfish that were nearly as big as basketballs.
“I had to turn my head to watch out and dodge the jellyfish. The waters have the most jellyfish that I have ever seen,” she said.
She reached France before dark, covering a total distance of 43.87km, official data showed.
Hsu said that she was “so excited and could not fall asleep” even though she was exhausted, as it was the first time in her life that she had paddled almost nonstop for 12 hours.
She said she was happy to achieve the milestone and raise “Taiwan’s visibility in the world through the sport,” Hsu said.
She said she would not be taking a break and would remain in the UK to train before heading to the US by the end of next month to swim across another strait.
“Can anyone be as crazy as I am?” she asked.
SECURITY: As China is ‘reshaping’ Hong Kong’s population, Taiwan must raise the eligibility threshold for applications from Hong Kongers, Chiu Chui-cheng said When Hong Kong and Macau citizens apply for residency in Taiwan, it would be under a new category that includes a “national security observation period,” Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said yesterday. President William Lai (賴清德) on March 13 announced 17 strategies to counter China’s aggression toward Taiwan, including incorporating national security considerations into the review process for residency applications from Hong Kong and Macau citizens. The situation in Hong Kong is constantly changing, Chiu said to media yesterday on the sidelines of the Taipei Technology Run hosted by the Taipei Neihu Technology Park Development Association. With
CARROT AND STICK: While unrelenting in its military threats, China attracted nearly 40,000 Taiwanese to over 400 business events last year Nearly 40,000 Taiwanese last year joined industry events in China, such as conferences and trade fairs, supported by the Chinese government, a study showed yesterday, as Beijing ramps up a charm offensive toward Taipei alongside military pressure. China has long taken a carrot-and-stick approach to Taiwan, threatening it with the prospect of military action while reaching out to those it believes are amenable to Beijing’s point of view. Taiwanese security officials are wary of what they see as Beijing’s influence campaigns to sway public opinion after Taipei and Beijing gradually resumed travel links halted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the scale of
A US Marine Corps regiment equipped with Naval Strike Missiles (NSM) is set to participate in the upcoming Balikatan 25 exercise in the Luzon Strait, marking the system’s first-ever deployment in the Philippines. US and Philippine officials have separately confirmed that the Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) — the mobile launch platform for the Naval Strike Missile — would take part in the joint exercise. The missiles are being deployed to “a strategic first island chain chokepoint” in the waters between Taiwan proper and the Philippines, US-based Naval News reported. “The Luzon Strait and Bashi Channel represent a critical access
Pope Francis is be laid to rest on Saturday after lying in state for three days in St Peter’s Basilica, where the faithful are expected to flock to pay their respects to history’s first Latin American pontiff. The cardinals met yesterday in the Vatican’s synod hall to chart the next steps before a conclave begins to choose Francis’ successor, as condolences poured in from around the world. According to current norms, the conclave must begin between May 5 and 10. The cardinals set the funeral for Saturday at 10am in St Peter’s Square, to be celebrated by the dean of the College
RSS