Neil Gilsona former competitive swimmer and now father of one, broke a 38-year-old record after swimming across Lake Geneva in mid-July.
The 38-year-old North Devon native accomplished the feat in 22 hours and nine minutes, beating the previous record set by a Swiss Olympian in 1986 by 33 minutes. Alain Charmey.
Gilson, who represented Great Britain at national level in his 20s, attempted the 73-kilometre (45-mile) swim for the first time a year ago but had to be pulled out of the race after 56 kilometres because he was suffering from hypothermia.
This time fueled by a mix of energy gels, doughnuts and bananas, Gilson etched his name in history by successfully navigating choppy waters, floating logs and the threat of hypothermia, completing the challenge in record-breaking fashion.
Only 12 people have ever managed to swim across Lake Geneva. Coincidentally, that’s the same number of people who have ever landed on the moon. This challenging swim requires participants to contend with cold water, currents, floating debris and swimming all night long.
Because of the risks involved, the Lake Geneva Swimming Federation accompanied Gilson on his journey across the lake to guide his swimming style and ensure that he was not in danger at any time.
During his journey across the lake, Gilson told Yahoo Sports that he had to overcome the pain and mental barriers.
“I thought I had broken the record when I was halfway through, but then I was a little worn out and one of the boatmen suggested I go a little faster,” Gilson said. “So I had to swim through the pain barrier. I was pretty confident because I was halfway through last year, but the end was tough.”
This is not the first time Gilson has completed such a swim; in 2021 he swam the Bristol Channel from Swansea to Ilfracombe, although it only took him 11 hours and 47 minutes.
Gilson is no stranger to long-distance open water swimming, but his motivation for this time was a little different. He undertook the feat to raise money for PANS PANDAS UK, a charity that educates GPs, teachers and families about the neuropsychiatric conditions Paediatric Acute Neuropsychiatric Syndrome and Paediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders associated with streptococcal infections.
Gilson’s son, Jack, was diagnosed with the disease at age two after contracting bacterial tonsillitis nine times in a year, developing a tic and having difficulty leaving the house for a while. The autoimmune disease causes inflammation of the brain and can trigger strange behavioral changes in children that affect their social skills and general body functions.
Gilson will likely be back in the water in the future, but not without taking some time off to recover.
“There are a few other lakes I’d like to visit, one of them is Lake Como in Italy. But for now I’m going to put my feet up.”
