Taiwan's first Øresund Strait swimmer aims to globalize country's swim routes

Stockholm, July 17 (CNA) Hsu Wen-erh (許汶而), who recently became the first Taiwanese person to swim the Øresund Strait, said she hopes to elevate Taiwan's offshore swimming routes to global standards.

After emerging from Bellevue Beach in Denmark, Hsu told CNA about her pre-swim rituals, reflections on the swim and hopes for Taiwan's future in long-distance swimming.

Hsu said one key part of her 7-hour, 11-minute and 2-second campaign -- officially timed by SwimÖresund -- was learning how other countries organize long-distance swims.

She said it was also about observing how other countries design routes and protect swimmers during long-distance events.

She said she wants to help develop long-distance swim routes between Taiwan and its outlying islands that meet international standards.

Hsu added that internationally recognized routes could attract foreign athletes and encourage local participation in long-distance swims.

Hsu said she hopes her experience will inspire more Taiwanese to embrace the ocean and push beyond their comfort zones to achieve the unexpected.

A concerted effort

The Taiwanese swimmer started from Helsingborg, Sweden, at 8:35 a.m. Tuesday, with the sea temperature at 19.4 degrees Celsius.

"I'm honored to be the first Taiwanese to complete this route," Hsu wrote on her Facebook page, "Wen's Swimming Club."

She said, "The first half was like swimming on glass -- 10km in 3 hours flying. But the second half turned wild: wind, waves, shifting currents and ships passing close. Denmark's coastline felt endlessly far."

Hsu said she pushed through the toughest part of the swim with support from her team, while her observer logged every detail and the vessel's captain kept her on course.

"Coco handed me food, shared smiles and a calm presence," Hsu wrote of her fellow Taiwanese teammate who invited her to take on the challenge.

Besides Coco, other Taiwanese supporters included Robin Cheng (鄭榮俊), head of the Taipei Representative Office in Denmark, who greeted Hsu after her swim.

Aside from the Øresund Strait, Hsu completed three major open-water swims last year: the English Channel, California's Catalina Channel and a solo swim around Manhattan Island.

She was the first Taiwanese to complete all three swims, a feat achieved by only about 330 people worldwide.

Hsu plans to swim from Norway to Sweden later in July and cross the North Channel between Ireland and Scotland this September.