International women complete relay English Channel swim on 100th anniversary of Ederle's feat

Four endurance swimmers from Saudi Arabia, Portugal, Germany and Britain finished a relay crossing of the English Channel in 11 hours 28 minutes to mark 100 years since Gertrude Ederle became the first woman to swim it. The team used the swim to promote water safety and encourage children to learn to swim.

Why it matters: - The relay honored the 100th anniversary of Gertrude “Trudi” Ederle becoming the first woman to swim the English Channel on 6 August 1926. - The swimmers also used the crossing to spotlight the importance of swimming skills for children and the role of swimming in preventing drowning. - The effort highlights women’s participation in endurance sport and open-water swimming on an international stage.

What happened: - Four open water endurance swimmers completed a relay crossing of the English Channel from Dover to Calais. - The team included Mariam Binladen of Saudi Arabia, Mariana Moura Santon of Portugal, Nathalie Pohl of Germany and Jasmine Harrison of Britain. - The crossing took 11 hours 28 minutes. - Each swimmer spent one hour at a time in the water. - The swimmers were not allowed to touch the boat or any other object. - The swimmers had to stay at least 1.5 meters away from the boat at all times. - The team faced choppy seas and strong winds. - At one point, the swim was in danger of being stopped after four hours in the water.

The details: - Mariam Binladen had completed a solo English Channel swim 10 years earlier. - Binladen said the conditions began with winds of 17 to 18 knots, then dropped to around six knots during the day and rose to nine knots at night. - Water temperature was 20°C at the start and dropped to 17°C. - Binladen said the one-hour relay format required a fast pace throughout the swim. - Between stints in the water, the swimmers returned to the boat to warm up. - Cold weather and wind made staying warm between swims another challenge. - Binladen was stung by a jellyfish during the swim but continued. - Binladen trained intensively for six months before the Dover-to-Calais crossing. - Binladen is the first Arab woman to swim the entire length of the River Thames. - Binladen has also done ice glacier swimming in Austria and swum from Saudi Arabia to Egypt. - Binladen is a dentist, environmentalist and philanthropist. - Binladen supports ocean conservation and women’s participation in sports.

Between the lines: - The relay linked a historic milestone in women’s swimming to a present-day message about access, safety and confidence in the water. - Binladen’s comments framed the swim as more than an athletic challenge and as a public appeal for children’s swim education. - The international makeup of the team reinforced the global reach of open-water endurance swimming.

What's next: - Binladen said she hopes the achievement inspires more children to take up swimming. - Binladen also hopes the swim gives children greater confidence and safety in the water. - The crossing may help keep attention on swim education and women’s endurance sports beyond the anniversary year.