Michael Ventre - New York to London swim

evmoevmo SydneyAdmin
edited February 2017 in General Discussion

Planned start in the Hudson River, April 2017.

http://www.newyorktolondonswim.com/swim

Comments

  • malinakamalinaka Seattle, WACharter Member

    Maybe it's just the transatlantic hangover I'm still working off from the last one that gives me that skeptical taste in my mouth.

    Judging by his blog posts, he is giving himself 2 full months to fully finance the swim? And the chartered support boat is in Cape Town until he secures this funding. His charidy.com page says he is nearly 10% funded and needs the rest by tomorrow...presumably because it's a long sail from SA to NYC.

    Wait wait wait, did he say starting in the first week of April? Like possibly on April 1st?

    evmoIronMikerlmSpacemanspiff

    I don't wear a wetsuit; it gives the ocean a sporting chance.

  • andissandiss Senior Member
    edited February 2017

    Looks a bit more realistic - serious crew and schedule and no claims of swimming the "full" distance - however it looks like he will swim a hell of a lot!

    I hope he makes it!

  • JSwimJSwim western Maryland, USSenior Member

    The swim is cancelled for 2017. From Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/newyorktolondonswim):


    Hi everyone! Just wanted to give a project update.

    The last 5 days has been a mixture of emotions! Most have been of great excitement! This is the closest I have been to making the swim a reality, and that's because of all of you who have supported me throughout! Sourcing the right support boat and crew took two years due to the unique requirements of the swim and obtaining the support of amazing companies was a tremendous challenge whilst also working full-time in IT and finding the time to train. And although the boat and crew are ready to depart from Cape Town in the coming days, the swim will not take place. The cost of the venture has come down from around $2 million, but I am still $155,000 short. In the last 5 days the project was able to raise $14,600!

    It would have taken two months for the boat to reach New York and I would not be able to leave Manhattan later than the first or second week of April due to the onset of the hurricane season. Leaving in April would stand me the safest possible option for doing the transoceanic crossing, likely arriving in the English Channel around July with the peak of the hurricanes occurring in September.

    As for now, I will be in touch personally with all my sponsors, donors and Oxfam to decide the next best steps going forward in the next few days.

    Thank you all for your continued support.

    The amazing list of companies that have got me this far:

    http://www.newyorktolondonswim.com/partners/

    Life begins at the end of your comfort zone. --Neale Donald Walsch

  • curlycurly Issaquah, WASenior Member

    At least he is realistic and didn't forge ahead blindly. We should give him credit for that. Obviously this is an incredibly difficult undertaking. Just the fundraising alone is kind of mind boggling.

    KatieBunslknightevmosuziedods
  • phodgeszohophodgeszoho UKSenior Member

    From the Beeb

    Forget crossing the Atlantic. Just swimming up the Thames into Central London would be a pretty mind blowing achievement.

    Best of luck to all involved.

  • brunobruno Barcelona (Spain)Senior Member

    As I said regarding Ben Hoopers' "adventure": 2 millions to be raised and wasted for the sake of what?

    I wish I could raise those 2M. I'd look for a challenge costing 10K, then I could donate... well, just do the maths.

  • Guys, I have to get it off my chest... I'm just not into people claiming they can swim the Atlantic Ocean. Relays where a swimmer dives into the water to directly take over from another swimmer on a 24 hour rolling basis, yes, but an individual swimming for 3 hours, climbing out, resting, claiming to get back into the water in the same spot etc... doesn't do it for me. Fish swim oceans, humans don't, it's not our environment. I expect this will upset some but the Niad and Hooper farces have killed it off for me.

Sign In or Register to comment.