Open water swimming Triple Crown is a world-renowned marathon swimming challenge that includes three long-distance swims: the English Channel (33 kilometers), the Catalina Channel in California (32.5 kilometers), and the circumnavigation of Manhattan Island (48.5 kilometers). A long-distance swim represents a test of physical endurance and willpower. On the 21st, Hsu Wener became the first Taiwanese swimmer to successfully complete the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming challenge, making her the first Taiwanese woman to accomplish this high-level marathon swimming feat.
“This is not like a marathon, but more like an Arctic ultra-marathon.” Hsu Wener shared. Unlike traditional marathons, open water swimming challenges involve not only cold temperatures, distance, and time but also understanding tides and water currents. Misjudging the tides can prematurely end a race in Manhattan if one fails to navigate correctly.
“When swimming, you have to go with the flow of the tide. Basically, in these open water swims, you need to go along with the tide because the forces of nature are too powerful to resist.” said Hsu Wener.
During the challenge on the first day (October 20), due to the effect of the water currents, she found herself almost spinning in place. Despite breaking free and moving forward, she encountered a strong current pushing her backward, making it impossible to progress, forcing her to stop the race. However, this setback did not deter her confidence, and on the second day (October 21), she re-entered the water with stronger determination to complete this feat.
Hsu Wener’s motivation for the challenge stemmed from her love for the ocean and contemplation of Taiwanese culture. She stated, “We are an island nation, but many people are actually afraid of water and hesitate to engage with the ocean. This inspired her to take on the challenge of open water swimming, hoping her experience would encourage more Taiwanese to embrace the ocean.
Despite not having a background in sports science, this did not prevent her from pursuing higher goals. Driven by her passion for the sea, she aims to understand how foreign countries promote open water education through such challenges and bring these experiences back to Taiwan to encourage people to “embrace the ocean.” For her, conquering the Triple Crown of open water swimming is not just about achieving a milestone but also a journey to explore the ocean world and promote marine education.
Completing the circumnavigation of Manhattan in 9 hours and 5 minutes, Hsu Wener faced accumulating physical fatigue and further depletion of energy due to the cold water temperature.
“Low temperature is also a significant issue. Yesterday, after sunset, the water temperature dropped to 15 or 16 degrees, which was quite cold. We couldn’t wear wetsuits, so we had to rely on sheer willpower to persist.” Hsu Wener recalled, adding that besides physical challenges, she also had to overcome inner loneliness, “When you swim, a lot of the time, you are having a conversation with yourself.”
“On the first day (Sunday), even though it was a failure, I was extremely unwilling to accept it because I felt I could have done it. I really wanted to accomplish this, but Sunday didn’t go well. Sometimes you just have to accept that it’s nature.” Hsu Wener admitted, saying that such experiences taught her how to accept setbacks and disappointments.
The failure on the first day resulted in a loss of NT$170,000 for her. When the New York Open Water Association (NYOW) mentioned that there was another opportunity on the second day, she didn’t hesitate to try again, pursuing her dream, even if it meant investing the same cost once more.
While swimming, Hsu Wener was not entirely distracted by the beautiful Manhattan skyline. When she completed the swim around Manhattan on the 21st, a sense of pride washed over her.
“The moment when the national flag was flying, I felt it was very meaningful.” Hsu Wener remarked. “Even looking back at those videos today, I still feel very moved. This swim is not just a personal challenge but also an opportunity to bring glory to the country and let the world know about Taiwan.”
In Hsu Wener’s heart, this challenge shares many similarities with the biographical film “Young Woman and the Sea” or “The Swimmer’s Heart”. The film tells the story of the first New York woman to cross the English Channel, with her training location also being at Coney Island in New York City. Hsu Wener recalled that the plot of the movie resonated strongly with her own experiences, inspiring her to continue moving forward on her challenging journey.
“I don’t like to say the first day was a failure; I prefer to call it a learning experience. Because often in failures, you can learn much more than through direct success.” She said, each challenge is filled with unpredictable factors. “It’s a winding process, but it’s worth it.”
Eventually, on the evening of the 21st, Hsu Wener successfully completed this feat of swimming around Manhattan. However, this is just one part of her open water challenge journey. She has already swum across the English Channel and the Catalina Channel in Southern California, all recognized as challenges of the “Open Water Triple Crown.” Next, her goal is to tackle the more challenging “Seven Seas,” each with unique natural obstacles testing swimmers’ willpower and endurance.