Cork swimmer makes history

Steve Redmond has completed the Oceans7 Challenge and is returning home to Cork this evening. Redmond (46) from Ballydehob in West Cork has become the first person to complete the gruelling challenge, considered to be the equivalent to climbing the seven summits in open water swimming. 

Redmond crossed the 20km Tsugaru Strait in Japan on Saturday evening in a time of 14 hours 24 minutes. Redmond, an amateur swimmer has succeeded in beating off competition from professionals around the world who were racing to complete the challenge. An Australian man was just one off completing the seven.

The Oceans Seven comprises of Seven Channels of varying distances and difficulties around the globe. They are; the North Channel between Scotland and Northern Ireland, English Channel between England and France, Cook Strait between the north and south islands of New Zealand, Molokai Channel in Hawaii, Catalina Channel off California, Gibraltar Strait between Spain and Morocco and the Tsugaru Strait in Japan. Remond began the challenge three years ago.