Taiwanese swimmer Hsu Wen-erh last week drew one stroke closer to achieving the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming after becoming the first Taiwanese to solo swim across the 32.5km Catalina Channel.
On July 20, the 30-year-old became the first Taiwanese to solo swim across the 33km English Channel.
Together with the 48.5km 20 Bridges Swim, a circumnavigation of Manhattan Island that Hsu plans to attempt on Oct. 20, the English and Catalina channel crossings constitute the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming.
Photo: CNA
Only 333 people have completed all three swims.
The Catalina Channel lies between Catalina Island and the California mainland. Hsu started from the island side at 10pm on Tuesday last week and reached Rancho Palos Verdes in southern California after 13 hours and 21 minutes.
The Catalina Channel Swimming Federation congratulated Hsu in a Facebook post after she completed the swim, and the Taiwanese national flag was raised on the navigation ship.
“A dilemma facing Taiwan is that we cannot use our national flag at the Olympics, but through acts of citizen diplomacy like this, we can ensure Taiwan is seen in the world on different stages,” Hsu said.
Under the federation’s rules, swimmers are not allowed to wear wetsuits or touch the navigation ship during the swim.
The California swim was her first at night, Hsu said, adding that she was struck by the bioluminescent algae she saw glowing in the dark water, resembling a starry night sky.
The scene reminded her of the movie Life of Pi, and it was especially moving during the long swim, as all her other senses were shut off, making the spectacle even more poignant, she said.
Another surprise came at sunrise, when after swimming for eight hours, Hsu started hitting the “wall,” but when she saw a large group of dolphins leaping past her as the sun rose, she almost forgot how exhausted she was, she said.
Long-distance swimming is a solitary sport, where, apart from the navigation ship, it is just the swimmer and the ocean, Hsu said.
Once she gets into the zone, her body and mind enter a meditative state, with her focus only on the strokes and breathing, she said.
“When you face difficulties and feel like you are not making progress, you need to know how to manage your low spirits and keep moving forward,” she said.
Hsu, who is also a swimming coach, has competed in open water swimming, also known as marathon swimming, for six years.
Without any sponsors, she has to cover all her expenses, including flight tickets, registration fees and navigation boat rentals, she said.
Her passion for the sport stems from her love of nature and a desire to promote the beauty of the ocean, she said.
Hsu said she especially appreciates the beautiful waters around Taiwan.
“I want more people in Taiwan to know that we are surrounded by so many [beautiful] oceans,” she said.
“We should embrace the ocean,” she added.
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