Somerset West endurance swimmer Howard Warrington achieved the unthinkable when he completed his 155th Robben Island crossing in August, setting a world record in the process.
The 59-year-old recently received a certificate to show he is now an official Guinness World Record holder, having surpassed the number of crossings of the previous holder of the record.
To date, the local athlete has completed 166 crossings, but he has set his sights on completing his 200th swim before his 60th birthday next year.
Over the years, Warrington has done charity swims for, among others, the Cape of Good Hope SPCA and Distance for Difference. He is currently swimming to raise funds for Heartlands Baby Sanctuary in Somerset West.
On Sunday (26 November), he accompanied two musicians on a swim from Robben Island to Big Bay to raise funds and awareness of the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra (CPO).
Flautist Louisa Theart and double-bass player Zanelle Britz swam the 7,4 km distance in three hours and 13 minutes.
They undertook the swim to raise awareness of, and funds for, the CPO’s outreach and development programme, as well as to procure instruments for the organisation.
With two-thirds of their R15 000 target reached and 30 instruments – including 11 violins, five clarinets, one cello, one cornet and seven recorders – donated, they believe the swim, made more challenging by the offshore current, was worthwhile.
According to Warrington, the difficult conditions extended their swimming time by half an hour.
“I take my hat off to both of them,” he said. “Louisa did her first crossing and she showed incredible strength. She pulled off the crossing like a rock star.”
