Open Water Swimming researched and compiled the following list of the 2015 World’s 50 Most Adventurous Open Water Men.
The list focuses on men who have done unprecedented swims of note or a significant number of risk-inherent channel, lake or marathon swims, men who proven themselves in both high-level competitions and solo swims, and men who have safely guided many swimmers of various abilities in rough waters, with emphasis on men who have repeatedly swum in waters that are colder, rougher and longer than the English Channel.
The list includes men from 19 countries including England, Mexico, Australia, South Africa, Tunisia, Russia, Italy, USA, Ireland, Dominican Republic, France, Spain, Estonia, Serbia, Argentina, New Zealand, Bulgaria, Slovenia, and Germany which is indicative that the sense of adventure in the open water is global and inherent among many. But this list is symbolic of the very best.
“Each of us has our own career ‘day jobs’ outside of open water swimming. Mine is property investment and development. I was also one of the founders of the Cape Town Partnership and the Central City Improvement District. My 1st Robben Island to Mainland swim crossing was in November 1981 and to date I have swum 90 crossings including several international swims such as the English Channel and the Sea of Galilee” explains Theodore Yach, marathon/ channel swimmer from Cape Town and number 49 on the list.
The list boasts three Jewish South Africans. As well as Theodore Yach the list includes ice swimmer Ram Barkai, ranked number five and ice/extreme swimmer Andrew Chin, ranked number nine on this list of 50 incredible sportsmen.