Catalina Channel is a popular spot for long-distance sea swimming challenges, with many swimmers attempting to cross the channel. On August 27th (Tuesday), Taiwan’s long-distance swimming expert, Xu Wen-er, successfully challenged the Catalina Channel in California, becoming the first Taiwanese to accomplish this feat. Her next goal is to challenge the Manhattan Island Marathon Swim in New York on October 20th, aiming to become Taiwan’s first “Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming” champion.
Xu Wen-er set off from Santa Catalina Island on the evening of the 26th, enduring 13 hours and 21 minutes to reach Rancho Palos Verdes in Southern California in the early hours of the 27th, completing a swim of approximately 32 kilometers.
Recalling the process of overcoming challenges such as low temperatures, poor visibility at night, and strong counter-currents, Xu Wen-er encountered a powerful counter-current about 7 kilometers away from the finish line. She said, “Although the goal beach was in sight, the counter-current made me swim for over three hours to cover that distance.” Despite the especially tough last leg of the journey, she believes it was an unforgettable “dream-like trip”.
In the pitch-black Pacific Ocean at night, Xu Wen-er had to rely on dim fluorescent rods on the escort boat to guide her direction, with bioluminescent algae shimmering around her in shades of blue and green, making her feel like she was surrounded by a sky full of stars. At dawn, Xu Wen-er had a chance encounter with dolphins, making her encounter with marine life one of the most precious memories of the journey.
In fact, this wasn’t Xu Wen-er’s first time attempting a channel swim, as she had just completed a swim across the English Channel last month. For this challenge, Xu Wen-er underwent months of rigorous training and mental preparation, arriving early to acclimatize herself to the location.
The water temperature in the Catalina Channel remains below 20 degrees Celsius throughout the year, and swimmers are prohibited from wearing wetsuits, requiring Xu Wen-er to withstand the cold based on her own physical resilience. Swimming in open water also presents the challenge of “solitude”, with hours of being unable to converse with others, only accompanied by the sound of her own breath. Xu Wen-er emphasized the importance of cultivating a strong willpower and physical strength.
Xu Wen-er believes that conquering long-distance swimming requires not only physical stamina but also strong mental fortitude and endurance. She stated, “It’s 80% willpower, 20% physical strength”, noting that by the end of the swim, the body is exhausted, and the completion of the challenge depends on how much one desires to achieve the goal. The 13-hour swim was akin to a form of spiritual practice, where the mind would become blank in the later stages, entering a state resembling meditation.
Xu Wen-er’s journey in long-distance swimming began in childhood. While she was a swimming team athlete, she didn’t choose to become a professional athlete. During her time at Soochow University, Xu Wen-er majored in German and microbiology, but her passion for open water swimming grew as she got involved in the sport.
After graduating from university, Xu Wen-er became a professional swimming coach, noticing that many students could swim in pools but were fearful of open water. She remarked, “Taiwan is surrounded by the sea, yet many are afraid of the ocean, which is a pity.” Thus, she actively promotes open water swimming, hoping to change Taiwanese attitudes towards the ocean.
To fulfill her dream of promoting ocean education, Xu Wen-er works for nine months each year to raise funds and dedicates three to four months to training and challenges. Her first international channel swimming challenge was the Strait of Gibraltar, followed by the English Channel and the Catalina Channel. These challenges are not just personal victories for Xu Wen-er but also opportunities to showcase Taiwan to the world. Seeing the national flag of the Republic of China flying on the escort boat fills Xu Wen-er with immense pride; being able to represent Taiwan internationally is one of her driving forces for continuous challenges.