Success! 6:45:25 hours! Andreas Waschburger crosses the channel in a new record time
On Friday (8 September 2023) the open water swimmer Andreas Waschburger from Saarbrücken set a new world record for crossing the English Channel from England to France.
In 6 hours, 45 minutes and 25 seconds, Andreas, from Saarland, swam alone across the channel between Dover in England and Cap Gris Nez near Calais (France) faster than anybody had done so before. Curiously, Waschi beat the previous record set by Australian Trent Grimsey in 2012 by almost 10 minutes on exactly the same day, eleven years later. Thus, he was able to set a new best time in his very first attempt to cross the English Channel.
The 36-year old police commissioner and 2012 Olympic eighth place finisher had already travelled to Dover with his team two weeks earlier. However, the record seeker had to let the reserved time slot for the record attempt from 23 to 28 August pass without swimming. The weather conditions were not good enough.
In Michael Oram, Andreas had chosen a proven expert on the English Channel for his project, who had already piloted the last three fastest record attempts through the Channel. Following his message, with the announcement of favourable weather conditions, Waschi and his team made their way back to Dover at short notice last week to take advantage of the new time slot in ideal conditions.
Then, in the early hours of Friday morning, the time had finally come. In perfect weather conditions, at precisely 08:02 (CET) open water swimmer Andreas set off from Dover in pursuit of the record, swimming the shortest distance (32.31 kilometres) to the French mainland on an ideal line along the Strait of Dover, minimising downforce from currents and swell. Without a wetsuit, in a shoulder-free swimming costume made of commercial textile fabric that reached to his knees, equipped with swimming goggles and a swimming cap, this swimming pro took on the battle against the clock and the forces of nature in the 18-degree cool Atlantic Ocean.
He was accompanied at all times by the boat “Gallivant”, with skipper and chief strategist Michael Oram and two other boatmen at the helm. “Team-Waschi” with Waschburger’s fiancée, Jasmin Alt, coach Jan Wolfgarten and Rouven Christ, who accompanied the entire challenge through the media. Finally, two official “observers” from the implementing and monitoring organisation Channel Swimming and Piloting Federation (CS&PF) were also on board, maintaining the logbook, supervising compliance with the rules and carrying out official timekeeping duties.
New World Record
At 14:47:25 (CET) the two officials stopped the chronometer when Andreas Waschburger had arrived at the destination of his dreams and was standing with both feet on solid ground in Cap Gris Nez (F). Thanks to perfect conditions and a unique and outstanding physical and mental performance, the man from Saarland clearly beat the previous world record and thus made history.
We have compiled pictures and exclusive sound bites and comments from Andreas Waschburger and his team on this unforgettable day and the joyful end of a vision that became a challenge and has now been successfully completed in the following vlog.
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