Hsu Wen-erh becomes first Taiwanese to solo North Channel

Taipei, Aug. 2 (CNA) Nearly defeated by huge jellyfish and generous mouthfuls of seawater, Taiwanese marathon swimmer Hsu Wen-erh (許汶而) persisted to set a milestone for Taiwanese women earlier this week.

She became the first Taiwanese and the 83rd woman to complete a solo swim across the North Channel between Northern Ireland and Scotland on Wednesday (local time), and she told CNA on Saturday that she almost did not make it.

"The thought of giving up crossed my mind several times," she said.

The 32-year-old set off at around 3 a.m. from Northern Ireland and completed the 34.5-kilometer crossing in 12 hours, 46 minutes and 40 seconds.

The swim and finishing time are pending ratification by the Irish Long Distance Swimming Association.

Hsu told CNA that sea conditions remained relatively calm during the first eight hours of the swim, but she was stung several times by lion's mane jellyfish that inhabit the waters during the first few hours because it was too dark to see them.

After daylight broke, she was able to steer clear of the jellyfish, but conditions later deteriorated sharply as the weather turned unstable and seawater temperatures dropped.

Combined with her swallowing seawater, the harsher conditions contributed to hypothermia.

The accumulated jellyfish toxins also took a toll on her, she recalled.

"Many of the lion's mane jellyfish were bigger than dining tables, and their neurotoxins remain in the human body for 24 to 48 hours, causing pain, muscle spasms and nausea," she said.

After ingesting seawater, she developed a persistent cough.

Hsu later learned that she had developed swimming-induced pulmonary edema, a potentially life-threatening condition in which fluid accumulates in the lungs during swimming, causing acute shortness of breath and coughing.

She said her strokes became almost automatic over the final two kilometers as strong currents and her deteriorating physical condition forced her to occasionally switch to the breaststroke at times to breathe more easily.

After reaching shore, Hsu remained short of breath for more than 40 minutes and was shaking so violently that she could not remove her swimsuit. She then began vomiting repeatedly and even coughed up blood.

Hospital examinations found that she had suffered lung injuries, forcing her to sleep in an upright position for three nights, she said.

Reflecting on the experience, Hsu said the challenge showed her "how small human beings are in the face of the sea."

"I keep challenging myself to tell everyone to love what they do and the goals they set. You can only find yourself if you don't blindly pursue fame and wealth," she said.

Oceans Seven challenge

Hsu first attempted the North Channel crossing in September 2025 but was forced to postpone the effort after unfavorable sea conditions persisted for two weeks.

She returned to Northern Ireland in June this year, spending a month training and adapting to the cold water before making the successful attempt.

Hsu has pursued the Oceans Seven challenge since completing her first major channel swim across the Strait of Gibraltar in October 2023.

After crossing the English Channel and Catalina Channel, and completing the Swim Around Manhattan in 2024, she became Taiwan's first swimmer to earn the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming.

With the North Channel now complete, Hsu has three swims remaining to complete the Oceans Seven challenge: the Kaiwi Channel in Hawaii, the Cook Strait between New Zealand's North and South islands, and Japan's Tsugaru Strait.

She said she plans to attempt the Cook Strait in December.

Hsu also hopes to lead a team of Taiwanese swimmers in an English Channel relay next year.