Oldest person to complete the Triple Crown of open-water swimming (male)

The oldest male to achieve the Triple Crown of open-water swimming is Ed Horne (UK, b. 22 June 1955), who was 68 years 99 days old when he successfully completed the 20 Bridges Circumnavigation Swim of Manhattan in New York City, USA, on 29 September 2023, having previously swum the Catalina Channel (20.2 mi; 32.5 km) between Santa Catalina Island and the California mainland, on 7 August 2023, and the English Channel (20.9 mi; 33.7 km) between England and France on 8 July 2022.

This also makes Horne the oldest person to complete the Triple Crown. The oldest woman to have done it is Pat Gallant-Charette (USA, b. 2 February 1951), who was 67 years 148 days old when she swam her third leg (also the 20 Bridges Circumnavigation Swim of Manhattan) on 30 June 2018.

The English Channel swim was ratified by the Channel Swimming & Piloting Federation (15 hours 51 minutes), the Catalina Channel swim by the Catalina Channel Swimming Federation (13 hours 43 minutes 35 seconds) and the 20 Bridges swim by New York Open Water (8 hours 29 minutes 23 seconds).

Horne, who revived his childhood love for swimming when teaching the sport to his daughter, didn't face an easy final leg of the Triple Crown. He had to contend with strong winds and heavy rain, brought on by Tropical Storm Ophelia.

Pic credit: Nathaniel Johnson