There is no catch to it that makes it somehow easier than the way it appears… Penny really is swimming 115 km… non-stop. Period. Unbelievable.
I met Penny in Dover in 2006 and she was a very good swimmer then. In fact, I was taken aback somewhat when we were both practicing in Dover Harbour, waiting for the weather to change, because she was faster than me… I was in great shape and feeling quite confident, but she could kick my butt. Just one of the many lessons I learned in Dover that year. I feel better about it now though… as she has gone on to become one of the best open water swimmers in the world, and one of the best of all time. The fact that she’s a really nice person softens the blow a bit too. The amazing thing is what she has done since then… this one is simply her latest big swim… but it might also be her greatest!
Good luck, Penny!
Cheers, Rob
This Week on Tuesday, November 9…
Living Legend will Attempt 72-Mile Swim!
It’s never been done before: swimming from Oahu to Kauai. It’s a 72-mile swim in the open ocean pitting man against the unimaginable – sharks, jellyfish, swells, and tidal flows. People have tried, and failed. Will Australian marathon swimmer Penny Palfrey be the first to succeed?
Somewhere in the next few days, she will dive into the waters from Kaena Point, the northwestern-most point on Oahu, and aim towards Kauai. She will be escorted by a safety boat with lifeguards to monitor her physical safety, and her swim advisor Steve Munatones.
Ultimately, the start date and time of a swim of this magnitude depends on the weather, and the time of day can vary widely depending on the tide, but right now, she thinks it will be Nov 9.
World Open Water Swimming Woman of the Year, and for the
2010 World Open Water Swimming Performance of the Year.
She is a recent inductee to the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame.
“Penny is – simply put – a living legend in our world,” says Munatones.
She will be staying at Waikiki Parc Hotel before and after her swim. Please reach her via Diane Ako if you would like a preview or a follow up story. Media interviews can be held at Waikiki Parc Hotel.
If you would like to cover her swim the day-of, please reach Steve Munatones. He will be taking photos of her from his boat during the swim and may be able to e-mail those if you would like regular updates from the scene.