Longest Open Water Swims

The Marathon Swimmers Federation recognizes the following all-time Solo Distance Records for open water swimming:

Extended Lists

About MSF Recognized Records

Record-eligible swims must be observed, documented, and conducted according to unassisted rules and standard equipment. Distances are measured by the shortest path1 along a natural route2.

Records are classified along three dimensions:

  • Body of water: ocean, lake, and river.
  • Continuous3 vs. multi-segment4 swims.
  • Current-neutral5 vs. current-aided swims.

If you believe a historical swim is missing from these lists, please contact us to begin the authentication process.

We’re happy to advise any challengers to these records. You may also wish to consult the MSF Documented Swims documentation guidelines.



The longest continuous, unassisted, current neutral swim along a single-segment natural route in open water.

Sarah Thomas
168.3 km (104.6 miles)
Lake Champlain

Ratified by Marathon Swimmers Federation

Route: Gardiner Island loop from Rouses Point
(New York / Vermont, USA)

67 hours, 16 minutes

August 7-10, 2017

Documentation



The longest continuous, unassisted, current neutral swim along a single-segment natural route in an ocean, sea, or bay.

Chloe McCardel
124.4 km (77.3 miles)
Exuma Sound

Ratified by Marathon Swimmers Federation

Route: South Eleuthera to Nassau, Bahamas

41 hours, 21 minutes

October 20-22, 2014

Documentation



The longest unassisted swim along a multi-segment natural route in an ocean, sea, or bay.

Sarah Thomas
132 km (82.5 miles)
English Channel four-way crossing

Ratified by Channel Swimming & Piloting Federation

Route: England-France-England-France-England

54 hours, 10 minutes

September 15-17, 2019



The longest unassisted swim along a multi-segment natural route in a lake or reservoir.

Joe Zemaitis
112 km (69.6 miles)
Roosevelt Lake

Ratified by Marathon Swimmers Federation

Route: 4.5-way lengthwise

47 hours, 23 minutes

November 1-3, 2020

Documentation



The longest unassisted swim in an ocean or sea, which may benefit from surface currents.

Veljko Rogošić
194 km (120.5 miles)
Adriatic Sea

Route: Grado to Riccione (Italy)

50 hours, 10 minutes

August 29-31, 2006

Documentation



The longest continuous, unassisted swim in a river.

Ricardo Hoffmann
481 km (299 miles)
Paraná River

Route: Corriente to Santa Elena (Argentina)

84 hours, 37 minutes

March 3-6, 1981



Longest Current-Neutral Swims

Name WaterRouteDist kmDateDurationSpeed kphCategory
Sarah Thomas Lake Champlain Gardiner Island loop from Rouses Point NY 168.3 2017 Aug 10 67:16 2.5 lake, island loop
Sarah Thomas English Channel England-France-England-France-England 132 2019 Sep 17 54:10 2.44 ocean, multi-way
Sarah Thomas Lake Powell Bullfrog UT to Wahweap AZ 128.7 2016 Oct 6 56:05 2.29 lake, one-way
Chloe McCardel Exuma Sound South Eleuthera to Nassau, Bahamas 124.4 2014 Oct 22 41:21 3.01 ocean, one-way
Joe Zemaitis Roosevelt Lake 4.5-way lengthwise 112 2020 Nov 3 47:23 2.36 lake, multi-way
Feras Mouala Mediterranean Sea Cyprus to Syria 106 2007 Sep 21 41:45 2.54 ocean, one-way
Caroline Block Lake George L.G. Village - Ticonderoga - L.G. Village 103.6 2020 Sep 18 52:24 1.98 lake, multi-way
Chloe McCardel English Channel England-France-England-France 99 2015 Aug 9 36:12 2.73 ocean, multi-way
Alison Streeter English Channel England-France-England-France 99 1990 Aug 2 34:40 2.86 ocean, multi-way
Philip Rush English Channel England-France-England-France 99 1987 Aug 16 28:21 3.49 ocean, multi-way
Jon Erikson English Channel England-France-England-France 99 1981 Aug 11 38:27 2.57 ocean, multi-way
Stefanos Meltsis Toroneos Gulf Kallithea / Nikiti 98 2011 Jul 16 37:50 2.59 ocean, multi-way
Ted Erikson Lake Michigan Chicago IL to Benton Harbor MI 96.6 1963 Aug 24 37:31 2.57 lake, one-way
Abdel-Latif Abou Heif Lake Michigan Chicago IL to Benton Harbor MI 96.6 1963 Aug 24 34:38 2.79 lake, one-way
Vicki Keith Lake Ontario Leslie St Spit to Port Dalhousie to Queens Quay Term. 95 1987 Aug 7 56:10 1.69 lake, multi-way
Cameron Bellamy Barbados circumnavigation 90 2018 Nov 13 40:46 2.21 ocean, circumnavigation
Tita Llorens Mediterranean Sea Javea to Ibiza 90 2018 Jul 27 36:16 2.48 ocean, one-way
Tita Llorens Mediterranean Sea Ibiza to Mallorca 84.3 2015 Jul 16 28:13 2.99 ocean, one-way
Tina Neill Pacific Ocean San Clemente Island to Palos Verdes 84 2012 Sep 6 28:41 2.93 ocean, one-way
Ted Erikson Lake Michigan Chicago IL to Kenosha WI 80.5 1962 Aug 22 35:37 2.26 lake, one-way
Greta Andersen Lake Michigan Chicago IL to Kenosha WI 80.5 1962 Aug 22 31:00 2.6 lake, one-way
Stephen Rouch Lake Memphremagog Newport - Magog - Newport 80.4 2019 Aug 23 25:12 3.19 lake, multi-way
Sarah Thomas Lake Memphremagog Newport - Magog - Newport 80.4 2013 Sep 7 30:01 2.68 lake, multi-way
Philip Rush Lake Taupo Taupo - Waihi - Taupo 80.4 1985 Jan 14 23:05 3.48 lake, multi-way


Longest Current-Aided Swims (excluding river swims)

Name WaterRouteDist kmDateDurationSpeed kphCategory
Veljko Rogošić Adriatic Sea Grado to Riccione, Italy 194 2006 Aug 31 50:10 3.87 ocean, one-way
James Loreto NY/NJ Harbor Estuary 3x Manhattan circumnavigation (CW) + Pier A to GWB 165.9 2021 Jul 24 43:43 3.79 estuary, circumnavigation
Diana Nyad Atlantic Ocean Bimini to Juno Beach, Florida 145 1979 Aug 20 27:41 5.24 ocean, one-way
Stacy Chanin NY/NJ Harbor Estuary Manhattan triple circumnavigation 137.7 1984 Aug 29 33:29 4.11 estuary, circumnavigation
Skip Storch NY/NJ Harbor Estuary Manhattan triple circumnavigation 137.7 2007 Aug 29 32:52 4.19 estuary, circumnavigation
Andy Truscott Channel Islands Jersey double circumnavigation 102 2018 Jul 15 22:07 4.61 ocean, circumnavigation


Swims Assisted by Nonstandard Equipment (selected)

Name WaterRouteDist kmDateDurationSpeed kphEquipment
Susie Maroney Straits of Yucatán Isla Mujeres, Mexico to Las Tumbas Beach, Cuba 200 1998 Jun 1 38:33 5.19 shark cage, stinger suit
Susie Maroney Cayman Trough Montego Bay, Jamaica to Marea del Portillo, Cuba 170 1999 Sep 15 34:50 4.88 shark cage, stinger suit
Susie Maroney Straits of Florida Havana, Cuba to Key West, Florida 166.2 1997 May 13 24:31 6.78 shark cage
Zhang Jian Bohai Bay Lushun to Penglai 109.75 2000 Aug 10 50:22 2.18 wetsuit
Penny Palfrey Caribbean Sea Little Cayman to Grand Cayman 108.1 2011 Jun 12 40:41 2.66 stinger suit
Spyros Chrysikopoulos Toroneos Gulf Kallithea / Nikiti 98 2017 Jul 15 34:10 2.87 wetsuit
Tammy Van Wisse Bass Strait King Island, Tasmania to Apollo Bay, Victoria 97 1996 Feb 6 17:46 5.46 wetsuit, shark cage
Ersin Aydin Mediterranean Sea Turkey to Cyprus 70 1973 43:20 1.62 shark cage


Notes