KUALA LUMPUR: Former New Straits Times journalist Ridzwan Rahim has etched his name in history by becoming the first person to complete a non-stop and unassisted solo swim from Redang Island to mainland Terengganu.
The Redang Channel Solo Swim 2023 saw the 46-year-old conquer the challenging 25km distance, setting a new milestone in the world of open water swimming.
Ridzwan, who made the swim in 20 hours, 42 minutes and 26 seconds, was accompanied by his crew consisting of two escort boats and a kayak as he entered the water at the Redang Island Marine Park Centre at 9.15pm on June 24 and walked onto Pantai Bari at 5.57pm the next day.
The Perhentian Channel Swim said in a statement that this historic swim followed Ridzwan's groundbreaking achievement in March 2021 when he became the first person to successfully complete the 17km swim from Perhentian Island to mainland Terengganu.
"This swim is currently awaiting ratification by the Marathon Swimmers Federation (MSF) in the United States," it added.
Perhentian Channel Swim also extended its gratitude to Setiu police, the Setiu Fire and Rescue Department, the Setiu Malaysian Civil Defence Force, the Tok Bali, Kelantan chapter of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency and Tourism Terengganu for their support and assistance throughout the project.
Reflecting on his latest achievement, Ridzwan said that he was humbled by the experience and had developed newfound respect for the waters of Redang Channel.
"This swim across the Redang Channel is much more brutal than our 2021 swim across the Perhentian Channel. Although the distance between Redang Island and the mainland is 25km, we ended up swimming 37.36km due to winds, currents and other elements of nature.
"Throughout the more than 20 hours of swimming, only the first hour, sunrise, and the last hour were calm. The rest was grueling due to the chops. In the late afternoon, we could see a squall coming from the mainland. Fortunately, it went away," he said.
Ridzwan, from Kajang, was escorted in Redang Channel Solo Swim 2023 by Mohd Faiz Mat Isa (team leader and chief feeder), Mohd Hafizuddin Amlin (kayaker), Shamsul Hamimi Ab Rahman (lead observer), Tsuyoshi Amzar Sawada (observer), Muhammad Fajrul Hazreen Zainal (lifesaver and medic), Ariff Budiman Abdul Halim (photographer) and Mohd Fahmi Zainal Aripin (drone videographer).
The boat crew comprised Mohd Nazuan Azharrudin, Muhamad Muhaimin Mat Yunus, and Muhammad Hairiy Che Jais (main escort boat), and Shamzur Azren Che Samaon, Muhammad Haiziey Che Jais, Mohd Fazlin Zakaria, and Roki (media boat).
The Redang Channel Solo Swim 2023 is just one component of Ridzwan's ambitious project, the Terengganu Four Swims.
This series of marathon swims aims to pioneer a cluster of challenging routes in the waters of Terengganu.
The Perhentian Channel Swim team will now shift their focus to the remaining two swims in the Terengganu Four Swims series, aiming to conquer the challenging routes from Perhentian Island to Lang Tengah Island (19km) and Redang Island to Lang Tengah Island (10km).
