FROM THE CHANNEL TO ILHA GRANDE
English Channel, Oceans Seven and Ilha Grande
Anyone aiming at the English Channel or the Oceans Seven needs long swims under the same rules before the big one. Ilha Grande offers comparable distances, the same no-wetsuit tradition and the same escort boat and observer set-up.
The same rules
BISA's rules are aligned with the Marathon Swimmers Federation and the Channel tradition: standard equipment with no wetsuit, no supportive contact, limited pace swimming, an independent observer and a pilot with the final word on safety.
Swimming a BISA route does not replace the requirements of the Channel associations or of other crossings; each has its own process, deadlines and criteria. It is a long swim under the same rules.
Distances side by side
| Crossing | Where | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Strait of Gibraltar | Spain → Morocco | 14.4 km |
| Tsugaru Strait | Japan | 19.5 km |
| Cook Strait | New Zealand | 22 km |
| Catalina Channel | California, USA | 32.5 km |
| English Channel | England → France | 33.7 km |
| North Channel | Northern Ireland → Scotland | 34.5 km |
| Molokai (Kaiwi Channel) | Hawaii, USA | 42 km |
Approximate straight-line distances as published by the associations of each crossing. The actual swim is usually longer because of currents.
Which route suits each goal
- Gibraltar and Tsugaru: the 16 km and 22 km match the distance and the boat-and-observer routine.
- Cook Strait: the 22 km and 25 km sit in the same distance range.
- English Channel, North Channel and Catalina: the 37 km Sheltered sits in the same 32 to 35 km range.
- Molokai (Kaiwi): the 48 km Unsheltered goes beyond that distance, with stretches exposed to the open sea.
- Beyond the Oceans Seven: the 76 km Complete is an island circumnavigation through the night.
When to swim
BISA's log has completed swims in every month of the year. 51 of them took place between November and March, while the Channel season is closed: your off-season is our swim season. The seven-day window and the forecast-based confirmation apply all year round.
Go deeper
- Marathon swimming in BrazilOpen water marathon and ultra marathon swims on Ilha Grande, Brazil: seven routes from 12 to 76 km, solo or relay, under MSF-aligned rules with escort boat and official observer.
- Rules and ratificationBISA rules for marathon swims on Ilha Grande, aligned with the Marathon Swimmers Federation: standard equipment with no wetsuits, official observer, relays, pace swimmers, sea conditions and ratification.
- Marathon swim preparationWhat BISA requires for a marathon swim on Ilha Grande: medical and training certificates, feeding from the boat, pace swimmers, crew on board and swimming through the night.
BISA · ILHA GRANDE
Which route do you want to start planning?
A route, a format and a time of year in mind. That is where the conversation begins.