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.
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