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Swimmingly: Adventures in Water
'A hugely enjoyable love letter to swimming and open water adventures' – Sophie Raworth
Sports and Virgin Radio Breakfast Show presenter Vassos Alexander found solace and distraction swimming in the Thames during a difficult summer, and was bitten by the bug. Now he can't pass a body of water without wanting to jump in.
Told through the story of training for a solo Channel swim, Swimmingly takes you on a journey across the world from Bournemouth Beach to San Francisco Bay. Vassos discovers that outdoor swimming is not about being the fastest or the best, it's about finding that little bit of magic in every stroke.
Working with elite coaches and interviewing the great and the good of swimming, he uncovers the massive sense of community at the heart of this time-honoured pastime. He meets Olympic champions and Channel legends – including Diana Nyad, who in her 60s became the first person to swim between Cuba and Florida; Lewis Pugh, the UN Patron of the Oceans and Lynne Cox, a woman who went for a swim and saved the world.
It's about the everyday swims, too – the tips shared and friendships forged over coffee and cake after a morning dip with the Teddington Bluetits or the sea swimmers of Whitstable. With the sport exploding in popularity over recent years, we all know someone (or are that someone!) who swims outside throughout the year.
Swimmingly will leave you with a renewed sense of connection to the world, and perhaps even inspire you to dive into your nearest lake, river or sea with gleeful abandon.
Sports and Virgin Radio Breakfast Show presenter Vassos Alexander found solace and distraction swimming in the Thames during a difficult summer, and was bitten by the bug. Now he can't pass a body of water without wanting to jump in.
Told through the story of training for a solo Channel swim, Swimmingly takes you on a journey across the world from Bournemouth Beach to San Francisco Bay. Vassos discovers that outdoor swimming is not about being the fastest or the best, it's about finding that little bit of magic in every stroke.
Working with elite coaches and interviewing the great and the good of swimming, he uncovers the massive sense of community at the heart of this time-honoured pastime. He meets Olympic champions and Channel legends – including Diana Nyad, who in her 60s became the first person to swim between Cuba and Florida; Lewis Pugh, the UN Patron of the Oceans and Lynne Cox, a woman who went for a swim and saved the world.
It's about the everyday swims, too – the tips shared and friendships forged over coffee and cake after a morning dip with the Teddington Bluetits or the sea swimmers of Whitstable. With the sport exploding in popularity over recent years, we all know someone (or are that someone!) who swims outside throughout the year.
Swimmingly will leave you with a renewed sense of connection to the world, and perhaps even inspire you to dive into your nearest lake, river or sea with gleeful abandon.
- GenresSports
207 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 5, 2025
6 people are currently reading
56 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
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July 4, 2025I’m a former swimmer, and this audiobook completely reignited something in me. I literally bought new swim gear before I even finished it.
Vassos Alexander takes you deep into the world of open-water and endurance swimming, and as someone who thought I knew swimming, I was shocked at how much I didn’t. From the English Channel to icy whirlpools in Norway, his journey is filled with surprising history, wild conditions, and conversations with legends like Diana Nyad and Lewis Pugh.
What stuck with me most is how much this book celebrates the swimming community. Whether you’re a marathon swimmer or just splash around in the summer, there’s something here for you. The narration (partially read by Alexander) is honest, warm, and keeps things moving.
If you’ve ever been in a body of water, or want to be, this is 100% worth a listen.
Vassos Alexander takes you deep into the world of open-water and endurance swimming, and as someone who thought I knew swimming, I was shocked at how much I didn’t. From the English Channel to icy whirlpools in Norway, his journey is filled with surprising history, wild conditions, and conversations with legends like Diana Nyad and Lewis Pugh.
What stuck with me most is how much this book celebrates the swimming community. Whether you’re a marathon swimmer or just splash around in the summer, there’s something here for you. The narration (partially read by Alexander) is honest, warm, and keeps things moving.
If you’ve ever been in a body of water, or want to be, this is 100% worth a listen.
August 23, 2025
Extreme runner to extreme swimmer Vassos Alexander has written this excellent book about the benefits of open water swimming. In no way sugar coated he describes the challenges but also the rewards of liberation, invigoration and elation that this type of swimming brings. I loved the notion of it being “a dance with the waves.” But this dance is often a group dance with others - a community, a social gathering of friendship and a shared love of nature in a non competitive, simple and natural way. The book also highlights Vassos’s own swimming training and preparations for challenges - perfecting his stroke, technique and endurance. I loved the included photographs in the book showing this. My friend is part of an open water swimming group and she absolutely loves it - the community, the bonding, the shared experiences of sun rises, sun sets and moonlight swims. I see the same love in this highly enjoyable book and may well be seen at a waterside edge myself one day soon.
August 6, 2025
Generally a very joyous description of a life impacted by swimming with only a few pretentious chapters... it's interesting that he got commissioned to write a book about swimming the Channel, didn't, and still got to write this book. I'm not sure what that tells me about his status in society.... some good laugh out loud moments and a few chapters I only skim read but a good read for anyone vaguely already interested in, or who wants to get interested in swimming!
July 29, 2025
Loved this book. Torn between reading the next chapter vs grabbing my swim stuff and heading to the nearest lake or pool!
November 22, 2025
Classic Vassos, extremely entertaining, full of meaningfulness and a joy to follow his journey.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews