Saarland extreme swimmer Waschburger circumnavigates Manhattan in new record time

"Heute ist alles aufgegangen", sagte Waschburger unmittelbar nach seinem Zieleinlauf. Dass dabei gleich zwei Rekorde herausgekommen sind, macht diesen Erfolg für mich besonders. With this, the swimmer from the Saarland was referring both to the best mark for the individual circumnavigation of Manhattan and to his record in the combined Triple Crown standings.

What is the Triple Crown in open-water swimming?

The Triple Crown in open-water swimming is made up of three disciplines: the "20 Bridges Swim" around Manhattan, the crossing of the English Channel between France and England, and the crossing of the Catalina Channel between Catalina Island and the California mainland. Waschburger needed around 20 hours and 15 minutes for all three courses combined – a new record time and faster than any other swimmer in the history of these three competitions.

With the Manhattan circumnavigation and his combined Triple Crown time, Waschburger broke two records according to the available information. In the Triple Crown standings, he was also the fastest athlete ever to have completed all three distances combined. The Saarlander thus cemented his reputation as one of the most successful extreme swimmers.

Why is the "20 Bridges Swim" considered an exceptional course?

Even before his latest success, Waschburger, the 39-year-old, can look back on a medal-rich career in various disciplines. In 2012, he represented Germany at the Olympic Games in London. His experience from international competitions is likely to have played a central role in view of his current best performance around Manhattan.

The "20 Bridges Swim" is considered one of the most demanding open-water courses in the world. The route takes the athletes once around the island of Manhattan, past the city's skyline and under a total of 20 bridges. Currents, water temperature, and ship traffic place particular demands on the participants.

Waschburger's home region, the Saarland, is known in Germany more for winter sports and club sports than for top performances in open-water swimming. The Saarlander's achievement – who ploughed through New York's harbor basin in record time in the early morning hours – therefore appears all the more remarkable. Local swimming associations and sponsors have already highlighted the best performance on social media.

Sources and official confirmation

The information about the new best time has been confirmed both by Waschburger's management and by the New York open-water federation. The federation has organized the race for years and keeps official times and rankings. The independent confirmation by two sources supports the credibility of the reported record time.

Outlook on the rest of the season

Further international open-water competitions are on the agenda for Waschburger in the coming season. Observers assume that the Saarlander intends to demonstrate his form in competitions in Europe and beyond in the coming months. The two records around Manhattan form a prominent start to that campaign.

Overall, the performance shows just how close top performances in open-water swimming are: two minutes separated the new record holder from his predecessor. Such margins underscore that in modern extreme swimming, even small tactical or conditioning advantages can decide best marks.