Grainne Gunn
From Openwaterpedia
Grainne Gunn was inducted in the Hall of Fame – Marathon Swimming Ireland as an Honour Swimmer in its Class of 2019
Gráinne Moss receiving her Irish Triple Crown in 2022
Gráinne Moss, with Billy Wallace and her parents Joe and Philippa Gunn on her 1996 attempt of the North Channel
Gráinne Moss (née Gunn) is a 55-year-old Irish open water swimmer and mother of four living in Wellington, New Zealand who is an Oceans Seven swimmer.
Contents
Open Water Swimming Highlights
- She completed the Manhattan Island Marathon Swim – 20 Bridges swim the night of 15-16 July in 8 hours 50 minutes just 8 days after she completed the Catalina Channel in 11 hours 22 minutes.
- With the completion of these two swims Grainne gained her third Triple Crown of Marathon Swimming: Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming, Irish Triple Crown, and New Zealand Triple Crown.
- Her completion of the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming had the second longest recorded turnaround i.e. most time (in years) between completing the first and last leg of the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming. It was almost 36 years between Grainne’s completion of the English Channel and Manhattan Island.
- She completed Molokai Channel on the 12 th May 2023. Grainne suffered 2 box jellyfish stings just four hours from the finish, but swam on to finish in 15 hours 7 minutes.
- She made the 21 km Fastnet crossing in 6 hours 4 minutes 24 seconds, from Fastnet Rock to Baltimore Pier in Ireland on 4 August 2022 setting a new women's record. She as the third person to receive the Irish Triple Crown.
- On 22 July 2022, she crossed the 35 km North Channel from Northern Ireland to Scotland in 13 hours 33 minutes 36 seconds, piloted by Brian Meharg of Bangor Boat with an average water temperature of 12.8°C. This was her third attempt. Her previous attempts were in 1996 and 1997. She has accompanied a number of other swimmers across the North Channel and was the support swimmer for Alison Streeter, MBE when she became the first woman to swim the North Channel.
- In March 2022 she completed the 28 km Foveaux Strait in 12 hours 27 minutes to raise funds for Kenzie’s Gift, a charity which supports the mental health of children and young people affected by serious illness or grief within the family. This was the final swim to gain the New Zealand Triple Crown. Foveaux Strait is one of the Toughest 13. Grainne was the 14th person to complete this swim and the 9th person to receive the New Zealand Triple Crown (Cook Strait in 2001, Lake Taupo in 2021, and Foveaux Strait in 2022.
- She completed two of the Toughest 13: Foveaux Strait in New Zealand and Fastnet in Ireland.
- She completed the New Zealand Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming.
- She completed the Irish Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming: Galway Bay in 1986, North Channel in July 2022, and Fastnet in August 2022.
- She attempted two 35 km crossings of the North Channel between Northern Ireland and Scotland in 1996 and 1997.
- On 5 August 2022, she completed Fastnet swim, setting a new women’s record.
- She was the first Irish woman to swim the English Channel in 1987 at the age of 17.
- She completed a 40.2 km crossing of Lake Taupō on 1 April 2021 in 14 hours 49 minutes.
- In 1995 Gráinne was a member of Gilberts Girls Relay Team (England to France) with Alison Streeter and Loretta Cox . They won the CSA Fastest Female Relay award.
- In 1990 she was a member of the first Relay team named Ireland One to swim the North Channel
- She was inducted as an Honour Swimmer in the Hall of Fame – Marathon Swimming Ireland in its Class of 2019.
- She swam 33.5 km across the English Channel on 3 August 1987 in 11 hours 52 minutes at the age of 17. She was the first Irish woman to swim the English Channel.
- She was selected to represent Ireland at the inaugural World Cup Long Distance Swimming Championships in 1986 at the age of 16. This was a pivotal event in the history of marathon swimming as the first 25 km held under the auspices of FINA. Gráinne finished 9th behind leading swimmers including Bridget Young, an International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame Honor Swimmer.
- She was the first swimmer from Ireland to complete a crossing of the 23 km Cook Strait in New Zealand in 12 hours 25 minutes on 6 March 2001 at the age of 31. Observer Philip Rush said that Gráinne was the only swimmer to be pulled for less than 10 minutes due to a circling shark - and get back in to complete. This is a rule of the association and Philip said it showed incredible toughness.
- She won the 17 km Ladies Irish Open Water Swimming Championship seven times (1991, 1992, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998 and 2001). She also finished 3rd in the 25th Anniversary swim in 2016. She and her brother Conor Gunn were the only swimmers to swim in the 1st (1991) and return for the anniversary swim 25 years later. Gráinne’s canoeist also supported her in 1991 and 2016.
- She swam across Galway Bay twice, the first time in 1986 in 3 hours and 10 minutes.
- She completed a 10.5-mile crossing of Windermere in England.
- She completed a 25 km crossing at the English Open Water Champions Ullswater in 1996.
- In 2000, she swam seven lakes in New Zealand in 7 days raising awareness and funds for water safety and continues to mentor other marathon swimmers. Swims in two of the lakes were of marathon distance: 11.5 km in Lake Tarawera and 10 km in Lake Rotorua.
- Gráinne has supported a number of swimmers in recent years as crew including supporting Corrina Connor on all three of her successful New Zealand Triple Crown Swims.
- Gráinne has completed 6 of the 7 Oceans Seven channels:
- On 3 August 1987, she completed a 33.5 km crossing of the English Channel from England to France in 11 hours 52 minutes at the age of 17.
- On 6 March 2001, she completed a 23 km crossing of the Cook Strait from North Island to South Island in New Zealand in 12 hours 25 minutes at the age of 31.
- On 22 July 2022, she completed a 35 km crossing of the North Channel from Northern Ireland to Scotland in 13 hours 33 minutes at the age of 52.
- On 12 May 2023, she completed a 45 km crossing of the Molokai Channel from Molokai Island to Oahu in Hawaii in 15 hours 7 minutes at the age of 53.
- On 7 July 2023, she completed a 32.3 km crossing of the Catalina Channel from Santa Catalina Island to Palos Verdes Peninsula in Southern California in 11 hours 22 minutes at the age of 53.
- On 22 May 2024, she completed a 14.4 km crossing of the Strait of Gibraltar from Spain to Morocco in 4 hours 23 minutes at the age of 54.
- On 7 July 2025, she attempted a 19.5 km crossing of the Tsugaru Channel from Aomori to Hokkaido in northern Japan at the age of 55, but she aborted the swim after 11 hours 52 minutes due to rough water conditions and 15°C water temperatures.
Oceans Seven Journey
- English Channel in 11 hours 52 minutes in August 1987
- Cook Strait in 12 hours 25 minutes in March 2001
- North Channel in 13 hours 33 minutes in July 2022
- Molokai Channel in 15 hours 7 minutes in May 2023
- Catalina Channel in 11 hours 22 minutes in July 2023
- Strait of Gibraltar in 4 hours 23 minutes in May 2024
- Tsugaru Channel attempt stopped after 11 hours 52 minutes in 15°C water in July 2025
- Tsugaru Channel in 12 hours 39 minutes on 18 June 2026
Oceans Seven Swimmers
As of 17 July 2026, 52 humans in history have completed the Oceans Seven:
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)
28th: Bárbara Hernández Huerta (Chile)
29th: Mark Sowerby (Australia)
30th: Paul Georgescu (Romania)
31st: Zach Margolis (USA)
32nd: Petar Stoychev (Bulgaria)
33rd: Nathalia Pohl (Germany)
34th: Caitlin O’Reilly (New Zealand at the age of 20 years 7 months 15 days)
35th: Ryan Utsumi (USA)
36th: Marcia Cleveland (USA)
37th: Eduardo Collazos Valle-Guayo (Peru)
38th: Rob Woodhouse (Australia)
39th: Alessandra Rossi Cima (Brazil)
40th: Bengisu Avci (Turkey)
41st: Simon Olliver (New Zealand)
42nd: Andreas Waschburger (Germany)
43rd: Joanne Norman (Australia)
44th: Paul Leonard (Great Britain)
45th: Gráinne Moss (Ireland)
46th: Karen Ennis (Great Britain)
47th: Rob Lea (USA) who simultaneously achieved history's first Double Sevens
48th: Anshuman Jhingran (India) at 21 years 3 months and 17 days
49th: Joe Zemaitis (USA) the first person to complete the Oceans Seven and the Stillwater 8
50th: Bogusław Ogrodnik (Poland)
51st: Toni Enderli (Switzerland)
52nd: Steve Leitch (USA)
External links
- Anshuman Jhingran Achieves The Oceans Seven
- The Summer of Oceans Seven: First Up Is Gráinne Moss, Karen Ennis, and Paul Leonard
- It Was Tough, But Paul Leonard Achieves The Oceans Seven
- Gráinne Moss Gets It Done and Achieves The Oceans Seven
- Karen Ennis Achieves The Oceans Seven
- Oceans Seven Swimmers Taming The Dragon Across The Tsugaru Channel
- The 2026 Tsugaru Channel Season: Foreigners Freestyling in the Far East
- Lots of Great Stuff. Gráinne Moss Shares Her Insights on Swimming
- “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
- Gráinne Moss Takes Time To Do It All
- What A Fascinating Life: Gráinne Moss Swims Around The World
- What An Oceans Seven Year 2025 Will Be
- Marathon Swimmers Federation bio
- Long Distance Swimmer Grainne Moss Heading To US To Set New Swimming Record
- Stories of Swimming Straits and Lakes
- Torpedo Swimtalk Podcast with Grainne Moss Exploring the World of Open Waer Swimming with the Triple Crown Champion
- Andy Donaldson Sets Cook Strait Record In 4 Hours 33 Minutes
- Podcast
- Remembering Pat Conway
- Gráinne Moss Continues To Push Boundaries
- Swimmers-battle-giant-jellyfish-and-unusual-currents-to-conquer-te-ara-a-kiwa Stuff.co.nz
- Seti Afoa on Celebrating Swimmers from Samoa to New Zealand
- Open Water Swimming
- Gráinne Moss Talks About Lake Taupo and Cook Strait Crossings On WOWSA Live
- Learning How Best To Deal With The Cold By Nuala Moore
- Learning How Best To Deal With The Cold By Nuala Moore
- Presenting The Ireland Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame On WOWSA Live
- Philip Rush Talks About Epic Swims On WOWSA Live
- Billy Wallace Recalls North Channel History On WOWSA Live
- Twelve Questions: Grainne Moss
- Grainne Gunn English Channel
- This Was To Be A Special Day
- World Open Water Swimming Association
- Class of 2019 Hall of Fame – Marathon Swimming Ireland
