Israeli team breaks world record for longest open water relay swim
Team dedicates relay to raising awareness on the issue of pollution of the seas.
By JPOST.COM STAFF
Six Israelis broke the world record for the longest open water relay swim on Saturday after swimming 380 km from Cyprus to Israel. The swimmers, Udi Errell, Ori Sela, Oded Rahav, Ben Enosh, Luc Chetboun, and Doron Amosi started the swim on Sunday when they departed from the port of Paphos. Each swimmer swam for around one hour until he was replaced, and each person swam four times a day averaging between eight and sixteen kilometers daily.The previous record was held by an American team who swam an open water relay of 366 kilometers last year.The team dedicated the relay to raising awareness on the issue of pollution of the seas together with the Israeli environmental group Zalul which means clear in Hebrew. Zalul is dedicated to keeping Israel's seas and rivers clean. Environmental Protection Minister Amir Peretz (Hatnua) met the team on Saturday at a ceremony at the Tzuk Beach in Tel Aviv where he congratulated the swimmers and spoke of the importance of their cause.