Youngest person to swim the North Channel (male)

The youngest male (and person overall) to swim across the North Channel is Brian Foster (Ireland, b. 23 October 2007) who completed the crossing on 15 September 2024 aged 16 years 328 days. He departed at 3.20 a.m. from The Gobbins on Islandmagee, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, and ended near the Killantringan Lighthouse north of Portpatrick, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, UK, piloted by Pádraig Mallon on board ÄÄRETÖN. The swim, which lasted 10 hours 32 minutes 25 seconds, was verified by the Irish Long Distance Swimming Association (ILDSA).

Even more impressively, his epic swim didn’t end there, as Foster then returned to Northern Ireland for a total swim time of 24 hours 50 minutes 13 seconds, arriving back at his starting point on Islandmagee at 4.10 a.m. the following day.

He is only the second solo swimmer ever to complete a non-stop two-way crossing of the North Channel; the first was Sarah Thomas (USA) on 9–10 July 2022, clocking a time of 21 hours 46 minutes 38 seconds.

The previous youngest person to swim across the North Channel was Daniel Smyth (Ireland, b. 9 June 2007) who completed a one-way crossing on 13 July 2024 aged 17 years 34 days. The youngest female is Jessika Robson (UK, b. 30 March 2006), aged 17 years 163 days on 9 September 2023.

As per ILDSA rules, the route must follow the Admiralty Chart 2198, Southern Part, which measures 18.6 nautical miles (21.5 mi; 35 km).