1st Taiwanese earns Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming in New York

首位台灣人在紐約獲得開放水域游泳3冠王

Hsu Wen-erh undaunted by currents to complete 48.5 km swim around Manhattan


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Hsu Wen-erh (許汶而) swam around Manhattan on Monday (Oct. 21), making her the first Taiwanese to complete the Triple Crown of Open Swimming.

The 30-year-old completed the 20 Bridges Swim, which is a full counter-clockwise loop around the island of Manhattan in New York City with a time of 9 hours and 5 minutes. This earned her the Triple Crown of Open Swimming, having crossed the English Channel in 12 hours and 17 minutes on July 19 and the Catalina Channel in 13 hours and 21 minutes on Aug. 27.

The 20 Bridges Swim covers 48.5 km and is on the East River, Harlem River, and Hudson River. Hsu abandoned her first attempt at the challenge on Sunday because a 45-minute battle with a strong current caused her to miss a key tide.

Undaunted, Hsu made another attempt on Monday morning accompanied by a paddler in a kayak that had a Taiwan flag mounted on top. When she finished the course at sunset, she was met with a spectacular view of the Manhattan skyline.

Hsu's observer Choi Dongho said Hsu wanted to raise Taiwan's visibility in the world “through the sport she loves and is deeply passionate about.” The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York cited Hsu as saying she preferred to credit her success to her partnership with nature, instead of conquering it.

When Hsu announced her accomplishment on Facebook Tuesday, Wen pointed out that only about 330 people have achieved this swimming triple crown. She said that her achievement was “an important milestone for swimmers all over the world” and the sight of the Taiwan flag with a city view of Manhattan "was beautiful."