Biography
Ross Edgley is a British extreme adventurer, ultra-marathon sea swimmer, and author. He is known for his incredible feats of endurance, including becoming the first person to swim around Great Britain.
Early Start
Born into a sporting family, his father a tennis coach and his mother a sprinter, Edgley specialized in swimming and water polo from a young age, representing his country at a junior level.
Challenges Overcome
During his Great British Swim, Edgley endured a disintegrating tongue from saltwater, "Rhino Neck" from his wetsuit, and lost the arches in his feet. He has also faced hypothermia and cellulitis during his Loch Ness swim and heat stroke and hyperthermia during his Lake Trasimeno swim.
Key Achievements
- First person to swim 1,780 miles around Great Britain
- World's Longest Staged Sea Swim
- Fastest person to swim from Land's End to John o' Groats
- First person to swim the length of the English Channel
- Holder of the longest non-stop, continuous river swim down the Yukon River
Why They Inspire Us
Ross Edgley's incredible feats of physical and mental resilience show that with dedication and a strong mindset, the perceived limits of human capability can be challenged and overcome.
"It's my hope that people remember the Great British Swim as an example or experiment in both mental and physical fortitude."