A double century of Robben Island crossings is on the horizon for endurance swimmer and world record holder Howard Warrington.
The Somerset West local is on track to reach his 200th swim and, in doing so, is raising funds for the Cape of Good Hope SPCA.
At an average of one swim a week between Blouberg and Robben Island, just last weekend Warrington reached a milestone of 196 crossings and is expected to swim his 200th crossing by the end of June.
Warrington celebrates his 60th birthday this year and swims for various charities as well as recreational purposes, supported by his wife and skipper Elmarie, their dog Lily as his motivator and “sharkspotter”, and his close friend Charl du Plessis, who ensures safety throughout the swims.
When he reached 100 swims, he was the fourth person to do so, but once he got to 155, he was the first and a World Guinness record-holder.
The record will be updated on his certificate once he successfully crosses for the 200th time.
“As I reach another world record, I want to raise as much as I can for the SPCA,” he related.
Braving the chilly ocean temperature of 10 to 11 °C, and kitted out in only a Speedo, swim cap and goggles, Warrington typically spends two to three hours on each swim, occasionally altering his routes to add variety.
He has previously raised funds for other charities like Heartlands Baby Sanctuary and Distance for Difference.
“The stakes have never been higher for Cape of Good Hope SPCA animal hospital, where they face daily challenges with an annual loss exceeding R5 million and a projected influx of over 23 000 stray and surrendered animals in the coming year,” he explained.
“They need our life-saving support. Please help me help them stay afloat.”
According to a statement from the SPCA, “Howard’s 200th swim will be in the heart of winter, and he’ll face extremely cold water temperatures, the wind, unpredictable currents and the waves.
“He’ll be pushing himself to the limits so we never have to reach ours! He’s proof that heroes don’t fly, sometimes they wear Speedos and they dive in head first when they hear a cry for help. Anyone can be a hero, so make a splash and dive in with your donation made now.”
V
Warrington’s progress can be followed on the Facebook page “Howard Warrington Athlete”, where the link to the donation page can also be found.
