Hungarian “Superman” swims around Manhattan – PHOTO GALLERY
“Yesterday I swam around Manhattan. It was unique all way long”, wrote Attila Mányoki, the Hungarian “Superman”, in an Instagram post. He completed the 50 km distance in just over 8 hours, despite strong currents and heavy river traffic. By “conquering” Manhattan Island, he achieved the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming, a feat accomplished by only 333 people. Congratulations!
Attila Mányoki swims around Manhattan and under 20 bridges
“I started at Pier “A” and my direction was to the East River, Harlem and finally the big Hudson River. In the Hudson, the second part was rough because of the traffic. Boats, yachts, ferries. I felt good myself during this fantastic journey. I spend around Manhattan 8hrs 2min. Thanks to my friends who supported me”, Mr Mányoki wrote in his Instagram post following his remarkable swim.
On Facebook, he shared more details about his experience. He mentioned that the swimming contest around Manhattan was first organised in 1915. He wrote that his average swimming speed was 6 km/h, which is faster than his usual 4 km/h. However, swimming against the current slowed him down to just 2 km/h, while on the East River, he reached a maximum speed of 9 km/h. He added that the Hudson River’s current was particularly strong due to a hurricane and subsequent rainfall, which gave him some extra speed.
The ocean and East River were both 23°C, while the Hudson River was slightly warmer at 24°C. Due to the extreme heat, he drank six litres of a specially formulated energy drink. Mányoki wrote that he performed 33,000 arm strokes and took more than 15,000 breaths while swimming. However, he never lost his strength, thanks to the drinks and a sweet bite to get rid of the salty numbness in his mouth.
Hungarian “Superman” in the Hall of Fame for Long-Distance Swimming
Mányoki mentioned that he had to stop for 15 minutes due to a cargo ship and another 30 minutes because of a tourist boat.
The Hungarian superman also noted that the average time to complete the Triple Crown challenge (Manhattan Island, the English Channel, and the Catalina Channel) is over 35 hours. His time was only 29 hours and 48 minutes for the entire 130 km distance. One of the women who completed the challenge, Elizabeth Fry, assisted Mr. Mányoki during his swim by accompanying him in a kayak.
Mr. Mányoki revealed that only 21 people from 13 countries have completed the two biggest long-distance swimming challenges, the Oceans Seven and the Triple Crown. Ten of these swimmers, including Mányoki, are members of the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame. He mentioned that after a short break, he would begin preparing for his next challenge.
According to Blikk, all swimmers are required to wear traditional swimming gear, such as textile swimsuits, swimming caps, goggles, and earplugs. Participants can only rely on their physical strength and mental endurance.
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