First swimmer to complete the Oceans Seven

The first swimmer to complete the Oceans Seven is Stephen Redmond (Ireland), who finished the open-water swimming challenge on 14 July 2012.

A former rugby player and triathlete, Redmond began his attempt at the Oceans Seven in August 2009, when he swam the English Channel. He completed the open-water challenge on 14 July 2012, crossing the Tsugaru Strait at the fourth attempt. The full breakdown of Redmond’s swims are as follows:

• English Channel (England to France): 5 August 2009; 20 hours 1 minute • North Channel (Northern Ireland to Scotland, UK): 31 August 2010; 17 hr 17 min 1 sec • Strait of Gibraltar (Spain to Morocco): 8 May 2011; 5 hr • Catalina Channel (Catalina Island to California mainland, USA): 20 October 2011; 12 hr 49 min • Cook Strait (South to North Island, New Zealand): 17 February 2012; 12 hr 40 min • Molokai/Kawai Channel (Molokai to Oahu, Hawaii, USA): 26 February 2012; 22 hr 29 min • Tsugaru Strait (Honshu to Hokkaido, Japan): 14 July 2012; 12 hr 45 min