Martin Strel, the Big River Man and his team are in South Africa at Midmar Mile, the world´s largest open water swimming event in the world.

Martin is giving talks at several events and helping promoting open water swimming activities in South Africa.

The day before the Midmar Mile swimming event in Pietermaritzburg, Martin spoke to a fully booked event at Golden Horse Casino about his big river swims in the Amazon, Yangtze, Danube, Parana and Mississippi rivers as well as his 84 hour 10 minute non-stop solo swim in the Danube.

Steven Munatones from Open Water Source (Daily News of Open Water Swimming) was in the audience and this is how he describes Martin´s words: “He explained a trick to overcome his fears and his need to swim despite a severe lack of sleep. “I can hypnotize yourself. I once swam for 4 days and 3 nights non-stop. [Including the pre-swim and post-swim activities], I did not sleep for 105 hours. I can do it – and you can do too. If I fall asleep on my long swims, my crew knows not to wake me up. I swim a little crooked and sometimes, I even swim the wrong direction, but I always am moving forward.”
Martin Strel and his son Borut Strel also run and promote Strel Swimming Adventures, their family company for adventure swimming tours in Slovenia, Croatia and at Lake Powell, Arizona. Whether you are an experienced swimmer or someone who simply wants to try something different, we have a perfect swimming holiday tour for you.
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