Splash247: AXSMarine employee readies to swim 70 km across Lake Geneva

This September, British endurance swimmer Andrew Cornish, a business development manager at AXSMarine, will attempt one of the most demanding feats in open-water swimming – a solo 70 km swim across Lake Geneva – to raise funds for the medical charity Mercy Ships. 

The challenge, officially known as Lake Geneva Signature Swim, covers the entire length of western Europe’s largest lake, starting at Chillon Castle in Veytaux and ending at Bains des Pâquis in Geneva. At roughly twice the distance of the English Channel, which Cornish swam across last month, the lake swim presents extreme physical and mental demands, including cold water temperatures, unpredictable alpine weather, and long night stretches. Less than 20 swimmers in history have completed the crossing solo, and if successful, Cornish will be one of the youngest people in history to complete the swim.

“This is going to be one of the toughest things I have ever done,” Cornish said, “but knowing it will help Mercy Ships makes every hour of training worth it.”

Every donation to Cornish’s swim will go directly toward Mercy Ships’ mission to provide safe surgery and strengthen medical systems in sub-Saharan Africa.

His Lake Geneva crossing is scheduled for September 8, and he expects it to take around 25 hours. Once the swim has begun, he is not allowed to leave the water or touch the accompanying support boat, and will be completed in a standard swimming costume, swimming hat, and goggles only.

In related news, people contemplating attending Geneva Dry on April 28 and 29 next year, can sign up and join some of the event organisers in doing a 5 km or 10 km run, or even a half- or full marathon around the shoreline of stunning nearby Lake Annecy with the run set to take place two days prior to the dry bulk summit.

Supporters can follow Cornish’s progress and donate via his fundraising page here.