Rod Watkins

Rod Watkins is a 62-year-old Australian open water swimmer from Toorak, Victoria.

Open Water Swimming Highlights

He achieved the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming (with swims in the English Channel, Catalina Channel, and Manhattan 20 Bridges Swim).
- he completed a 33.5 km crossing of the English Channel from England to France in 12 hours 52 minutes on 25 September 2018.
- he completed a 45.9 km circumnavigation swim around Manhattan Island in New York City in 8 hours 41 minutes 19 seconds on 16 July 16.
- he completed a 32.3 km crossing of the Catalina Channel from Santa Catalina Island to the Palos Verdes Peninsula in Southern California in 11 hours 26 minutes 28 seconds on 8 October 2019.
He appeared on the Torpedo Swimtalk podcast hosted by Danielle Spurling.
On 12 February 2022, he pioneered a 22.3 km river swim from the Tasman Bridge to the Iron Pot at the mouth of the Derwent River in Tasmania in 6 hours 51 minutes.
On attempted the 59 km 4 Bridges to Lighthouse Swim from New Norfolk Bridge in the Historic Town of New Norfolk to the Iron pot Lighthouse that marks the entrance to the Derwent River in Tasmania, but stopped the swim after swimming 16 hours 6 minutes just a few kilometers short of his goal. He was escorted by pilot Val Kalmikovs with observer Sam Paulson at the age of 62.
On 26-29 April 2023, he will compete in the SCAR Swim Challenge, a 4-day stage swim in Arizona at the age of 62, with escort kayaker Patty Hermann.