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Carina has made ends meet during lockdown by live-streaming events
Carina ’ s Most Notable Solo Swims
Carina Bruwer is one of Africa ’ s most decorated female open water marathon swimmers . Her extensive swimming résumé includes crossing the English Channel , Gibraltar Straits , Messina Straits , False Bay , Walker Bay and dozens more , with many of her swims being ‘ firsts ’ and / or record-breaking feats . After 2006 she took a few years off swimming to start a family and focus on her music career , but after the birth of her third child , Carina returned to marathon swimming and continues to add firsts and records to her illustrious swimming CV . to Keurboomstrand , which would be about 10km , or perhaps a swim in KwaZulu-Natal , like Umhlanga to Durban , which would be 18km . I ’ m also looking to do False Bay again at the end of the year , and this time I ’ d like to have some relay teams join the swim , and perhaps challenge cyclists to race around the bay as well . This will also be to raise funds for TribUo , because they make things happen for the people I want to support .”
When asked why she undertakes these marathon swims , Carina says she thinks it is important to express oneself in this world . “ Similar to playing music , swimming makes me feel alive , and it gives me a purpose , because by swimming for charitable causes , I feel I can make a difference and help others . That ticks a lot of boxes for me .
I feel the need to be out there , doing something extraordinary , be it performing on stage or swimming , but I want it to be for something bigger than me , to turn it around and find a meaningful place for it . So yes , there is an ego side to these challenges , for sure , but there is a bigger picture , and I have come to realise that swimming is not just about getting my name in the newspapers and on lists , but also for the sheer joy of it , and to make a difference to others . I felt I couldn ’ t just go swim for myself , hence I started Swim for Hope , to spread the love , and that brought the meaning back for my swimming .”
Gliding through the water of Walker Bay , Carina is kept company by Herman De Vries
• Round the Northern-most Point of Africa 16km ( 2004 ) Bizerta , Tunisia , first swimmer , Time : 3:50
• Round Danger Point , 11km ( 2004 ) Gansbaai , SA , first swimmer , Time : 3:16
• Around Cape Agulhas 11km ( 2004 ) First female & first SA swimmer , broke record set by Englishman Lewis Pugh , Time : 2:16
• Around Cape Point 8.5km ( 2004 ) First SA swimmer , the fastest time overall , still fastest women , Time : 2:20
• Around Robben Island Swim 11km ( 2005 ) held overall record for eight years , Time : 3:07
• English Channel Crossing 36km ( 2005 ) England to France , fastest SA woman , Time : 12:03
• Straits of Gibraltar Crossing 16km ( 2005 ) Held women ’ s record for seven years , Time : 3:35
• False Bay Crossing 36km ( 2006 ) Cape Town , first SA woman & third swimmer ever , Time : 10:58
• Messina Straits Quadruple Crossing 15km ( 2014 ) Italy – Sicily , furthest swim by a woman in the Messina Straits , two return crossings , Time : 3:59
• Straits of Bonifacio Crossing 15km ( 2014 ) Corsica , France to Sardinia , Italy ), Time : 4:28
• Robben Island to Bloubergstrand ( 7.5km ) Robben Island to Three Anchor Bay ( 11km ) Nine crossings to date , best time of 1:58 in 2007 and 2014
• Triple Country Swim ( 21km ) ( 2018 ) Nice to Venimiglia ( France – Monaco – Italy ), first swimmer , Time : 7:01
• Tabarca to Alicante Swim 18km ( 2019 ) Spain , first SA swimmer , 18km in 4:40
• Nelson Mandela Bay Crossing 19km ( 2020 ) PE to Coega , First woman and second swimmer to do longer crossing , Time : 5:15
• Walker Bay Crossing 21km ( 2021 ) Hermanus to Danger Point , Gansbaai , First woman , Time : 6:36
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