In the Netherlands we have this legendary ElfStedenTocht (translation: Eleven City Tour). It is a tour for ice-skaters, skating on natural ice passing eleven cities in the Provence of Friesland. The tour is about 200 kilometers.
Yesterday morning (Saturday 5AM Dutch time, GMT+2), Maarten van der Weijde, an Olympic Gold medalist, started his version of the ElfStedenTocht; Swimming instead of skating. His reason for this: Collect money for Cancer Research.
At the start of his swimming career, Maarten won many races, but then he fell ill in 2001, leukaemia. After his recovery, he picked up competition swimming again, and won several titles, including World Open Waters Championship 2008, and Olympics Gold Medal 10km in Beijng 2008. This marked his end of his professional swimming career.
Now he is back. After not swimming for 10 years, he is executing the plan he created a year ago. Swim the same track as the ElfStedenTocht.
By now he is almost half way, and still going strong. The idea is to swim the complete track in one go, without breaks. However, last night, early morning, he had to take a two hour break. But that didn't stop him to continue.
More and more people are following the live stream on YouTube, by now more than 10.000 people. Many people are supporting him along the track as well, either standing and applauding him, or even following him by foot or bike.
Although it was super warm this summer in the Netherlands, the temperature is a lot lower. But regardless the outside temperatures, the water becomes pretty cold after hours and hours swimming. Therefore he wears a special wetsuit, covering everything, from top to too, including cloves. He actually wears another wetsuit beneath the one you can see in this picture.
One of the cities Maarten passed yesterday.
Most of the track looks like this...
As in the traditional ice-skating ElfStedenTocht, Maarten has to get stamps at checkpoints. He carries his stamp card in a waterproof bag on his back while swimming.
At each checkpoint, checks are handed to Maarten with the money collected in the area.
After a unexpected two hour break, Maarten is continuing his tour. This was around 7am this Sunday morning.
More and more people are travelling to Friesland to support Maarten in his almost inhuman challenge.
If you like to donate? Check this page here.
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