Edward Williams
Marathon Swimmer
Edward Williams is an Extreme Marathon Swimmer who has taken on some of the most iconic and unforgiving open water challenges in the world over a two decade period, from a solo crossing of the English Channel in 14 hours aged 19 to successful swims of the North Channel and Strait of Gibraltar, and most recently swimming 28 miles around Manhattan in 2026.
His journey through cold water, powerful tides, and long hours of isolation has been defined by resilience, discipline, and an ability to keep moving forward when most would stop. This site documents those swims in detail, offering an honest insight into the physical and mental demands of channel swimming, while also connecting to the work he leads at Elite Swimming Academy, where the same principles are used to help others push beyond what they thought possible.
The English Channel 2006
At just 19 years old, I stood on the shore at Dover and looked out at 21 miles of the world’s most unforgiving shipping lane, ready to chase a childhood dream.”
My solo crossing of the English Channel in August 2006 was the swim that changed my life in every single way. Pushing through 16ºC waters for 14 grueling hours, the swim was a brutal test of teenage determination, culminating in landing on the shores of Calais completely broken but forever transformed, raising over £60,000 for Prostate Cancer Research along the way.
Lake Windermere 2008
“They say channel swims are 99% psychological, but nothing prepares you for the deep, bone-chilling dampness of England’s longest lake.”
In August 2009, I tackled the 11-mile length of Lake Windermere in a punishing 8 hours and 11 minutes. Battling torrential rain so heavy it bruised my arms, freezing 15ºC water that brought on the early stages of hypothermia, and waves so choppy they lifted our support boat clean out of the water, this swim was a pure battle of mind over body that raised over £2,700 for East Anglia’s Children’s Hospice.
English Channel Relay 2014
“Standing on Shakespeare Beach at 4:00 AM, about to dive into the pitch-black, 13-degree sea, I knew this was more than just a swim; it was history in motion.”
On June 8, 2014, I had the immense honor of swimming the opening leg of the ‘Overlord 70’ relay. Comprising an international crew of American, British, and Canadian swimmers (mirroring the Allied Expeditionary Force of 1944), we crossed the 21-mile channel in just over 12 hours, forging unbreakable bonds while battling sea-sickness, fierce cold, and sudden summer downpours.
North Channel (First Attempt) 2014
“Marathon swimming is a sport of brutal lessons, and my first attempt at the notorious 21-mile North Channel was the toughest of them all.”
In September 2014, after 18 months of relentless, six-day-a-week training, I set off into the icy 13ºC Irish sea. I was flying, on pace to potentially challenge the 9.5-hour world record, until we hit a dense, unavoidable wall of Lion’s Mane jellyfish less than four miles from the Scottish coast. Sustaining hundreds of severe stings over eight hours, my muscles spasmed and my body began to shut down, forcing a heartbreaking but life-saving rescue from the water.
The Gibraltar Strait 2015
“Bridging two continents in a single sprint, the Strait of Gibraltar is a high-speed dance across the gateway to the Mediterranean.”
In May 2015, I took on the 12-mile crossing from Spain to Morocco, completing the swim in a blistering 3 hours and 51 minutes. While the 14ºC water was warm compared to the Irish Sea, the swim demanded intense focus to navigate the incredibly powerful currents, heavy commercial shipping traffic, and unpredictable winds that define this iconic African-European bottleneck.
The North Channel (successful) 2016
“Two years after being pulled from the water paralysed by jellyfish stings, I returned to Northern Ireland to finish what I started.”
At 2:30 AM on August 25, 2016, I dove into the pitch-black, freezing waters of Donaghadee to face my ultimate nemesis. This time, by mastering the art of mental dissociation to block out the biting cold and the pain of unavoidable stings, I pushed through 21 miles of Irish sea to touch the Scottish shore in 10 hours and 58 minutes, guided in the final hours by a pod of wild dolphins swimming by my side.
Manhattan Island (20 Bridges Swim): 2026
“Twenty-eight and a half miles, three iconic rivers, and twenty historic bridges: the ultimate urban marathon swim.”
Scheduled for July 2026, the Manhattan Island marathon represents the next major chapter in my open-water journey. Circling the entirety of New York City, this epic endurance test requires precise timing to ride the complex, fast-changing tidal currents of the East, Harlem, and Hudson Rivers, pushing the limits of speed and mental stamina beneath the shadow of the world’s most famous skyline.
Dry Land
After Dinner Speaking
Ed is an accomplished public speaker and regularly performs at corporate and charity events as an after dinner speaker.
Corporate Presentations
Ed is an accomplished public speaker and regularly speaks for companies to inspire their teams to work more effectively.
School Assemblies
Ed tours schools across the region every week to speak with the children about the importance of having a dream and doing everything it takes to achieve it.
I can not thank you enough for stepping in at the last minuet to speak at the London Society Dinner in Cambridge.
You did an amazing ‘turn’ for us and seriously on the Saturday morning at breakfast you were the only topic of conversation with members saying just how good your talk was.
I have attended the annual course for all but one of the 37 events. The general opinion was that you should be amongst one of the top 3 speakers in that time. You are certainly going to be a hard act to follow!
Charles Little
Chairman of the London Society of Accountants
“I believe that the water teaches us who we are. To share that profound sense of freedom and achievement, I poured my competitive experiences into founding the Elite Swimming Academy, creating a space where anyone can learn to swim with purpose.”
