Andy Donaldson

Inductee Honour Swimmer of the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame

170 km four-person circumnavigation swim relay with Fatema Al Mahmeed, Mariam bin Laden, and Abdulla Attiya

Members of the Epic Swim Maui include John Clark of Hawaii, Andrew Donaldson of Scotland, Bárbara Hernández Huerta of Chile, Prabhat Koli of India, Nathalie Pohl of Germany, Jonathan Ridler of New Zealand, Yvette Dickson Tetteh of Ghana, Sarah Thomas of the USA, Dr. Mostafa Zaki of Egypt, Stefan Reinke of Hawaii, and Ryan Leong of Hawaii

Handler Jay Prchal, swimmer Andrew Donaldson, coordinator Haruyuki Ishii, and escort boat pilot Captain Mizushima before Donaldson's 19.5 km Tsugaru Channel crossing to complete the Oceans Seven in northern Japan within one calendar year

Escort boat pilot Captain Mizushima, coordinator Haruyuki Ishii, and handler Jay Prchal observing Andrew Donaldson in the Tsugaru Channel en route to complete the Oceans Seven in northern Japan

2019 Port to Pub Ultra Marathon winners: Ben Jones Arna Couper, Sacha Downing, Josie Page, Andy Donaldson, and Gareth Evans. Photo Credit: Clip Media Motion

Andy Donaldson is a 32-year-old pool and open water swimmer from Scotland currently living in Perth, Western Australia. He was the 22nd person to complete the Oceans Seven and the first person in history to complete the Oceans Seven in one calendar year at the age of 32. He was inducted as an Honour Swimmer of the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame in 2026.

Oceans Seven

• 33.5 km English Channel between England and France in 8 hours 0 minutes on 7 August 2022
• 35 km North Channel between Northern Ireland and Scotland in 9 hours 13 minutes on 19 September 2022
• 23 km Cook Strait between North Island and South Island in New Zealand in 4 hours 33 minutes (record) on 7 March 2023
• 45 km Molokai Channel between Molokai Island and Oahu in Hawaii in 15 hours 52 minutes on 18 April 2023
• 14.4 km Strait of Gibraltar between Spain and Morocco in 2 hours 56 minutes on 20 May 2023
• 32.3 km Catalina Channel between Catalina Island and Southern California in 9 hours 22 minutes on 11 July 2023
• 19.5 km Tsugaru Channel between Hokkaido and Honshu in northern Japan in 13 hours 4 minutes on 27 July 2023
• He achieved a Calendar Year Oceans Seven in 355 days with a cumulative swim time of 63 hours 2 minutes 9 seconds.

Oceans Seven Swimmers

1st: Stephen Redmond (Ireland)
2nd: Anna-Carin Nordin (Sweden)
3rd: Michelle Macy (USA)
4th: Darren Miller (USA)
5th: Adam Walker (UK)
6th: Kimberley Chambers (New Zealand)
7th: Antonio Argüelles (Mexico)
8th: Ion Lazarenco Tiron (Moldavia/Ireland)
9th: Rohan Dattatrey More (India)
10th: Abhejali Bernardová (Czech Republic)
11th: Cameron Bellamy (South Africa)
12th: Lynton Mortensen (Australia)
13th: Thomas Pembroke (Australia)
14th: Nora Toledano Cadena (Mexico)
15th: Mariel Hawley Davila (Mexico)
16th: André Wiersig (Germany)
17th: Elizabeth Fry (USA)
18th: Attila Mányoki (Hungary)
19th: Jonathan Ratcliffe (UK)
20th: Jorge Crivilles Villanueva (Spain)]
21st: Adrian Sarchet (Guernsey)
22nd: Prabhat Koli (India)
23rd: Dina Levačić (Croatia)
24th: Herman van der Westhuizen (South Africa)
25th: Andy Donaldson (Scotland)
26th: Stephen Junk (Australia)
27th: Kieron Palframan (South Africa)

Open Water Swimming Highlights

• On 23 April 2025, he completed a 170 km four-person circumnavigation swim relay around Bahrain with Fatema Al Mahmeed, Mariam bin Laden, and Abdulla Attiya in 59 hours 59 minutes 6.52 seconds. They each swam 3-hour legs, rotating from start at 4:00 am to finish at Sofitel, Zallaq. Their handlers include Jay Prchal, Eric Watson, and Volodymyr Tkachenko.
• On 13 February 2025, he completed the 25 km World Islands Swim, a tandem swim with Dr. Mariam Saleh Binladen of Saudi Arabia who completed the clockwise circumnavigation swim around the World Islands in Dubai in 10 hours 41 minutes 23 seconds.
• He is participating in the Epic Swim Maui with Mariam Saleh Bin Laden of Saudi Arabia, John Clark, Barbara Hernandez of Chile, Prabhat Koli of India, Nathalie Pohl of Germany, Jonathan Ridler of New Zealand, Yvette Dickson Tetteh of Ghana, Sarah Thomas of the USA, and Mostafa Zaki of Egypt. This unprecedented expeditionary swim is a 12-day 300 km circumnavigation swim around the island of Maui in Hawaii, a celebration of the Hawaiian culture and a call to action for ocean health that starts on 7 July 2024.
• On 7 March 2023, he set the solo one-way crossing record across the 23 km Cook Strait from South Island to North Island in New Zealand in 4 hours 33 minutes 50 seconds with crew members Jacqueline McClelland, Jackson Kibbelwhite, Sarah Harrow, and NZOWSA observer Jackson Arlidge, swimming at a 1:10 per 100 meter pace in the 14-15°C water, escorted by Grant Orchard of Katabatic Charters. He broke the record of Casey Glover in 4 hours 37 minutes set in 2008.
• He won the 2021 Rottnest Channel Swim in 4 hours 4 minutes 30 seconds.
• He won the 19.7 Port to Pub Ultra Marathon in Australia.
• He won the Palm Beach to Shelly Beach Swim in Australia in 6 hours 5 minutes in 2022.
• He is aiming to complete the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming Australia and the Oceans Seven.
• On 25 March 2022, he completed the 34 km Derwent River Big Swim in Hobart, Tasmania in a new record time of 5 hours 35 minutes 21 seconds, piloted by Val Kalmikovs and observed by Doug Hughson. The previous record was held by Brianna Thompson in 6 hours 40 minutes.
• On 8 August 2022, he completed a 33.5 km crossing of the English Channel from England to France in 8 hours 0 minutes.
• On 19 September 2022, he completed a 35 km crossing of the North Channel between Northern Ireland and Scotland in 9 hours 13 minutes 57.07 seconds.
• On 27 July 2023, he completed the first Oceans Seven challenge within 1 calendar year with a 19.5 km crossing of the Tsugaru Channel from Tappi Misaki in Aomori Prefecture to Hokkaido in 13 hours 4 minutes 30 seconds at the age of 31.

Record Progression of the Manhattan Island Marathon Swim from 1915 to 2025

• Robert Dowling, USA 13 hours 45 minutes in September 1915
• Ida Elionsky, USA 11 hours 35 minutes in September 2016
• Byron Summers, USA 8 hours 56 minutes in September 1927
• Bill Goll, USA 8 hours 39 minutes in July 1930
• Bill Sadlo, USA 8 hours 38 minutes in July 1930
• Sam Shields, USA  8 hours 36 minutes in July 1930
• Diana Nyad, USA 7 hours 57 minutes in October 1975
• Drury Gallagher, USA 7 hours 14 minutes in July 1982
• Paul Asmuth, USA 6 hours 47 minutes 58 seconds in August 1983
• Drury Gallagher, USA 6 hours 42 minutes in September 1983
• Shelley Taylor-Smith, Australia 6 hours 12 minutes 29 seconds in October 1985
• Shelley Taylor-Smith, Australia 5 hours 45 minutes 25 seconds in July 1995
• Oliver Wilkinson, Australia 5 hours 44 minutes 2 seconds in September 2011
• Andy Donaldson, Scotland 5 hours 41 minutes 48 seconds in September 2024
• David Olvera López, Mexico 5 hours 34 minutes 58 seconds in June 2025.

EPIC SWIM Maui

Ryan Leong), John Kalemakali’i Clark, Andy Donaldson, and Stefan Reinke completed a 22-day 226 km circumnavigation swim around the island of Maui in the state of Hawaii in 73 hours 54 minutes.

• Day 1 on 7 July, they swam 25.5 km from Hana to Ke’anea in 9 hours 56 minutes
• Day 2 on 8 July, they swam 24.2 km from Ke’anea to Maliko in 7 hours 51 minutes
• Day 3 on 9 July was a rest day
• Day 4 on 10 July, they swam 21.2 km from Maliko to Kahakuloa in 6 hours 3 minutes
• Day 5 on 11 July, they swam 15.2 km from Kahakuloa to Honolua in 4 hours 53 minutes
• Day 6 on 12 July, they swam 14.3 km from Honolua to Ka’anapali in 5 hours 9 minutes
• Day 7 on 13 July was a rest day
• Day 8 on 14 July was a rest day
• Day 9 on 15 July, they swam 17.2 km from Ka’anapali to Olowalu in 6 hours 7 minutes
• Day 10 on 16 July, they swam 12.3 km from Olowalu to McGregor in 3 hours 42 minutes
• Day 11 on 17 July was a rest day
• Day 12 on 18 July, they swam 12.0 km from McGregor to Keawakapu in 3 hours 36 minutes
• Day 13 on 19 July, they swam 15.1 km from Keawakapu to La Perouse in 5 hours 15 minutes
• Day 14 on 20 July, they swam 26.6 km from Nu’u to La Perouse in 6 hours 46 minutes
• Day 15 on 21 July was a rest day
• Day 16 on 22 July was a travel day
• Day 17 on 23 July, they swam 9.1 km from Hana Bay to Pu’uki’i in 4 hours 6 minutes
• Day 18 on 24 July, they swam 17.8 km from Pu’uki’i to Kaupo in 5 hours 43 minutes
• Day 19 on 25 July was a travel day
• Day 20 on 26 July, they swam 6.10 km from Kaupo to Nu’u in 1 hour 41 minutes
• Day 21 on 27 July was a rest day
• Day 22 on 28 July, they swam 9.4 km on a Molokini swim of 3 hours 4 minutes

External links

• King of the Ice Is Now History’s Fastest Triple Crowner. Andreas Waschburger Set His 8th World Record
• Peak and Ponders Racing Towards The Oceans Seven
• Epic Swim Maui – Circumnavigation Stage Swim Data
• Round and Round They Swim - Circumnavigation Swims in History
• Four to Swim the North Channel with Infinity
• Andreas Waschburger versus Andy Donaldson, Oceans Seven Record Coming Down To The North Channel
• When Andreas Waschburger Made An Important Decision in the Tsugaru Channel
• “It Was The Hardest Swim Of My Life,” Rob Woodhouse Achieves The Oceans Seven
• With Swimmers Lining Up On Japanese Shores, What About The Predicted Mega Earthquake and Impending Tsunami?* Oceans Seven Wait Begins For Rob Woodhouse and Gráinne Moss
• Rob Woodhouse versus Andy Donaldson, Coming Down To the End In The Oceans Seven
• David Olvera López Dreams Big, Drops Manhattan Island Record
• What Did Dr. Mariam Saleh Binladen, Andy Donaldson, Fatema Al Mahmeed, and Abdulla Attiya Experience Around Bahrain?
• Dr. Mariam Saleh Binladen, Andy Donaldson, Fatema Al Mahmeed, and Abdulla Attiya Complete 170 km Swim Around Bahrain
• Dr. Mariam Saleh Binladen, Andy Donaldson, Fatema Al Mahmeed, and Abdulla Attiya Start 170 km Swim Around Bahrain
• So Much More To Swimming Beyond The Black Line With Rob Woodhouse
• Marathon Swimmers Federation bio
• Andreas Waschburger on the Oceans Seven: 4 Down, 3 To Go
• Andreas Waschburger and the Oceans Seven: 3 Down, 4 To Go
• Dr. Mariam Saleh Binladen and Andy Donaldson Complete World Island Swim
• Dr. Mariam Saleh Bin Laden Becomes First Woman to Swim from Saudi Arabia to Bahrain
• Wen-Erh Hsu Overcomes "It Is Too Dangerous To Get In The Sea"
• Social Media Influencers in the Open Water versus the Pool, A Comparison on Instagram
• Circle Line Tour by Andy Donaldson Sets Record Around Manhattan Island
• Andy Donaldson vs. Attila Mányoki vs. Petar Stoychev across the Oceans Seven
• Epic Swim Maui Team Combines Swimming with Science
• Quartet of Andy Donaldson, Stefan Reinke, John Clark, and Ryan Leong Remain Strong Through The First 10 Days of Epic Swim Maui
• Epic Swim Maui Heads Through The Roughwater Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary
• Epic Swim Maui Forges On with Another Rough Day and A Shark Encounter
• Epic Swim Maui Continues - Day 2 and A Day of Rest
• Epic Swim Maui Begins – Day 1 from Hāna to Ke’anae
• Best of the Best Will Swim Around Maui Within 20 Days
• 112 Days Until The Epic Maui Swim
• Epic Swim Maui
• Social Media Influencers in the Open Water: Who’s Who on Instagram
• Epic Swim Maui Continues - Day 2 and A Day of Rest
• Epic Swim Maui Begins – Day 1 from Hāna to Ke’anae
• Best of the Best Will Swim Around Maui Within 20 Days
• 112 Days Until The Epic Maui Swim
• Epic Swim Maui
• You Want To Cross The Tsugaru Channel? What Should You Do?
• 18 Years In The Making: Stephen Junk Achieves The Oceans Seven
• Kieron Palframan Achieves The Oceans Seven
• Andy Donaldson Takes On the Big Waters and Little Jellyfish Across Molokai
• Enei-chu: Swimmer In The Water
• Andy Donaldson Joins Oceans Seven Fraternity – in Record Time
• Andy Donaldson Sets Cook Strait Record In 4 Hours 33 Minutes
• New Zealand Open Water Swimming Association - Facebook page
• Open Water Swimming
• 35 Go For 34 – in the Derwent River Big Swim
• 10 Top Men on a Hot Streak in Open Water Swimming – October 2022
• Andy Donaldson Completes a Fast Crossing of the North Channel
• Andy Donaldson Crosses English Channel in 8 Hours, First Leg of His Oceans Seven Challenge
• Aussies Down Under Head To The Northern Hemisphere
• World Open Water Swimming Association