sports
Devon man becomes first person to swim Switzerland’s 10 largest lakes
Neil Gilson completes 230-mile challenge after a ‘tough’ 22-hour crossing of Lac Léman
TL;DR
- Neil Gilson, a former international athlete, has completed a challenge to swim the 10 largest lakes in Switzerland.
- The total distance swam is approximately 230 miles (370km) over two summers.
- His final swim across Lac Léman (Lake Geneva) was 45 miles and took over 22 hours, setting a world record.
- Gilson's children, Lily (12) and Jack (10), joined him for the final 200 meters of the Lac Léman swim.
- He found swimming in lakes more demanding than the sea due to unpredictable choppy conditions and cold water.
- Gilson aims to raise awareness for Pans and Pandas, a neuropsychiatric condition that affected his son, Jack.
- Pans/Pandas symptoms can include mental health issues, behavioral changes, and movement difficulties.