Swimming against the tide

  • | Wednesday | 11th September, 2019

Vidya Iyengar ByExpress News ServiceBENGALURU : Choppy waters, windy scenes, but a mind that was determined to complete a long-distance swim. Viswanathan’s foray into the sport was at the age of 33, while his “fascination” with open water events started in his 40s when he first attempted a swim across the English Channel. His first open water swim was an eight-person relay in 2015, followed by a four-person relay in 2016 and a two-person relay in 2018. And the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming seemed like a natural move. I swam through some of the worst conditions and eventually completed the swim in 8hrs 7mins,” says Viswanathan, who is probably the oldest Indian to have reached this milestone.

Vidya Iyengar By Express News Service BENGALURU : Choppy waters, windy scenes, but a mind that was determined to complete a long-distance swim. Srikaanth Viswanathan (47) has just returned from the United States of America after having completed the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming, which comprises three swims – across the English Channel(33.5km), Catalina Channel(32.3km) and the Circumnavigation of Manhattan Island (NY) (45.9km) “Strong currents and the cold waters were making my family and me slightly apprehensive. But after some research and speaking with people, I decided to go ahead with it,” said Viswanathan, who swam across the Catalina Channel in 13hrs 4mins and the Manhattan Island in New York, a 45.9-km stretch in 8hrs 7mins. Viswanathan’s foray into the sport was at the age of 33, while his “fascination” with open water events started in his 40s when he first attempted a swim across the English Channel. His first open water swim was an eight-person relay in 2015, followed by a four-person relay in 2016 and a two-person relay in 2018. The same year, he stayed back and attempted a solo. “After that, I was hit by the question, ‘What next?’,” he recalls. And the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming seemed like a natural move. Like he says, when the entire country was celebrating the 73rd Independence Day back home, he “quietly sneaked out” for his swim in the Pacific Ocean from Catalina Island (off California) in total darkness at 10.45pm with the moon, stars and a kayak to keep him company. “I swam through the night in very rough conditions with only the magical bioluminescence of the waters keeping my spirits high. After about seven hours swim in total darkness, when the day light came through, I had hundreds of dolphins cheering me on,” says Viswanathan, who touched the mainland after a non-stop swim for 13hrs 4mins. After a few days of recovery, he travelled to New York to swim around the skyline of Manhattan on August 31. “A portion of that swim is on the notorious Hudson river and Harlem river known for their strong currents, choppy waters and busy marine traffic from innumerable ferries/boats that pass by every day. I swam through some of the worst conditions and eventually completed the swim in 8hrs 7mins,” says Viswanathan, who is probably the oldest Indian to have reached this milestone. Despite having a ‘late start’, Viswanathan “believed in his dreams, passionately worked hard towards realising them and proved to the world that the limits of our capabilities resides only within the boundaries of our minds.” “I believe that life begins at the end of our comfort zone,” says Viswanathan, who now has his sight set on swimming across the Ocean 7 channels, which will be an ultimate endurance test.

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