Ultra-endurance athlete and clean seas activist Neil Agius on Thursday announced he will be re-attempting a world record open water sea swim, this time circumventing all of Malta, Gozo, and Comino.
The challenge is expected to be held in the second half of September, with the weather window opening on 18 September and potential to leave within 24 hour notice from 20 September. This will see Agius attempt the open-sea route along the coastal waters of the entire Maltese archipelago, covering approximately 160km.
The gruelling challenge is expected to take three days and will require an estimated 175,000 strokes.
The route is still being finalised, and will depend on weather conditions.
If successful, Agius will break the current world record for the longest non-stop, unassisted, current neutral sea swim, which he himself holds.
This will be Agius’ first attempt at breaking the record after he was forced to abandon a similar swim in Spain last year.
In September 2023, Agius required medical attention after he swam into a swarm of jellyfish spanning several kilometres off the coast of Mallorca.
Speaking at a press conference announcing the challenge on Thursday, Agius said he would be attempting to swim for over 70 hours – no stopping, no sleeping.
“This is the first time anyone has ever attempted to swim around the entire Maltese archipelago and it is the first time that I will be attempting to set a new world record right here at home,” Agius said.
“We are taking everything to the next level and competing on a global stage. I hope to bring everyone together like only sports can do, where everyone feels part of this historic moment. The motto for me has always been that we can all take actions every day and push our own boundaries to achieve what we thought was impossible.”
“We are surrounded by water as an island, and I hope we can see how essential clean seas are to our survival and our wellbeing and the unique beauty of our Islands,” Agius added.
Swim powers marine clean ups and scientific study
Agius is using the swim to raise awareness about the state of Malta’s marine habitat aiming to raise awareness about critical environmental issues and inspire a collective commitment to protecting the Mediterranean Sea.
NGO Wave of Change, which Agius founded, is teaming up with marine clean-up experts Żibel for a series of initiatives tied to the swim.
Żibel will be coordinating several large-scale clean-ups.
The NGO will also be facilitating individual and smaller community clean ups through the use of designated bins, with all marine litter to be collected and managed by the NGO with the aim of making new sustainable products, making the initiatives fully circular.
With over 149,500kgs of waste collected by Żibel, the problem is far from solved.
With Żibels’ impressive track record of clean-up operations in Malta together with Wave of Change’s ability to mobilise the masses to take action and the spotlight Agius brings during his world record swims, the collaboration, on this scale, between two NGOs is a first for Malta.
Wave of Change aims to foster collaborations with NGOs like Żibel and engage the community to take action towards the conservation of our marine environment through outreach programs and educational workshops.
They also aim to bridge the gap between scientific research and ground realities, to get people to understand life underwater and to bring together all stakeholders to contribute towards achieving 30% protection of Malta’s marine areas by 2030.
Speaking ahead of the swim, Agius said, “The Small Island Big Swim challenge is not just about setting a world record. More importantly, it is about highlighting the problem of pollution and pollutants in our seas and oceans.”
In recent weeks Agius and the team at Wave of Change have been working closely with Żibel to develop a detailed action plan for the swim.
Months of training
Agius has been training intensively for months to prepare for the challenge.
This is the first time Agius will be attempting a swim at the end of summer.
His training is more intense than ever before, swimming for 10 hours approximately four times a week in the height of the Maltese summer heat, while still maintaining a full-time job.
He is swimming for longer periods under higher tension and pushing himself to reach his maximum capacity more often.
Agius is supported by a team of around 25 volunteers and professionals made up of medics, swim observers, navigators, skippers and crew, motivators, media, and a
nutritionist, who will ensure that he remains safe and healthy throughout the swim.
In anticipation of the swim he has worked with leading sleep deprivation experts, developed a specialised breathing technique, and prepared mentally for the challenges that such a lengthy challenge poses.
The athlete has developed ‘The Ocean Mindset’, a mindfulness technique which has fuelled his current swim and these tools are being adopted and used by many of his current partners including GO, the lead partner powering this swim and all Neil’s endeavours for the next three years.
GO teams will experience The Ocean Mindset for themselves and experience tools to manage stress, communicate more effectively and take care of their wellbeing.
