Jessi Harewicz completes Georgia Strait swim
'I was ready today because I had a lot of mishaps in the past,' says open water swimmer of 30 km ordeal
Vancouver swimmer Jessi Harewicz has become just the third woman to swim the Georgia Strait — a distance of more than 30 kilometres.
According to her guide boat pilot, John Dafoe, she completed the course from Sechelt B.C. to Nanaimo in 11 hours and 20 minutes on Saturday.
That would be a new record for a woman completing the approximately 30 kilometre distance according to records kept by the Masters Swimming Association of B.C. once it is ratified.
"I had really good conditions," she said upon finishing. "I had a bit of chop but yeah it was fine. Like it wasn't easy but I've swam in worse conditions, I've been colder, I've swum in colder water and I've been way more seasick and I've been stung by way more jelly fish."
Jessi Harewicz, 33, was a synchronized swimmer as a child but got hooked on open water swimming just two years ago.
"That's why I really believe though, especially open water swimmers tend to be in their prime as they get older," she said. "You need the mental toughness. It's 50 to 80 per cent mental."
Her father Richard Harewicz made up part of her crew who guided her along and fed her energy drinks, fruit and small pieces of peanut butter and jam sandwiches.
- Peach-fuelled Vancouver swimmer Jessi Harewicz braving Georgia Strait
- Vancouver swimmer Jessi Harewicz attempts Georgia Strait crossing
"It's amazing. I tell you I've seen her swim long stretches before but I've never seen her be this long into the day," he said during the swim. "And the tenacity, she's just a human machine out there and doing well."
Her friend Emily Van Gulik posted updates to Harewicz's Facebook page as she stroked her way across the strait.
Now Harewicz says she's ready to move onto her next challenge, the English Channel, while it seems the sport of open water swimming is gaining popularity with cold, dark and unpredictable conditions being a selling point.
