Photos from open sources of
This is a unique athlete you are unlikely to meet at the Olympics or any other international sports competitions, however less, his fame as a professional swimmer at extra-long distance, stepped far beyond the borders of his native Slovenia.
Conquering the longest rivers
Martin Strel (Martin Strel) conquered the longest rivers Earth, swimming from source to mouth of each. Among the rivers he conquered – Mississippi, Danube, Amazon, Yangtze, Parana and others, for the five most Martin is listed in the Guinness Book of Records. To that but he also crossed the Strait of Gibraltar.
When he is called crazy, Martin agrees completely with this, because, in his opinion, a normal person simply doesn’t dare to such madness. But he cannot do anything with by itself, since by nature is not quite an ordinary person, it pulls to set such records some kind of internal force, and to establish far from for the sake of world fame, but – just like that, for yourself.
A photo from open sources
An arrow can sail for twelve or more hours without stopping, directly afloat replenishing calories. With this condition, you can compare with meditation, he falls into a certain trance, and no longer feels neither fatigue, nor tension, nor even pain.
Please note that Martin is far from sporty. Yes, he admits himself, I like to eat well, drink without fail a bottle of wine, but you know what the difference is, for example, between me and the most outstanding American swimmer Michael Phelps? He of course swims faster than me, perhaps even much, but Michael is not a marathon runner, for the Amazon and even for a more modest river he doesn’t good, he can’t conquer such distances …
A photo from open sources
Indeed, in water, as the researchers found, Martin Strel loses up to 800 calories in an hour, that is, in twelve hours, which he often resides in water, he needs at least 10,000 calories is a lot, but a well-fed body a marophonist swimmer can easily cope with such a waste of energy, making up for it partially “on the go.”
Water is my best friend since childhood, Martin explains to reporters. It so happened that my father loved to drink, and after drinking, he began chasing me with a stick, a chain – in general, I was at that moment in real danger. And then only water saved me, I swim I learned it myself – either at five, or at six.
Rivers, lakes and other bodies of water require respect and attention
Now, arranging such a solid marathon heats, I do not I set world records as much as I want to attract public attention to the problem of water on Earth. Because she becoming more dirty (I compare the water in the rivers and lakes of my childhood and its current state), dead and also her less and less and less on our planet. This is a real disaster, especially for subsequent generations!
Martin Strel was the first and so far the last person to conquered the longest river of our planet – Amazon, length which 5,268 kilometers. He sailed on it for sixty six days in an average of 80 kilometers per day. This happened in early 2007, Martin was 52 years old at that time.
During this and many other heats, piranha attacked him, crocodiles, anacondas and even bandits. In one place on the Mississippi in the buoy, past which the Arrow was just sailing, was struck by lightning, from which the swimmer was thrown into the air, and for a while he lost consciousness. But every time this brave man, as they say, came out dry water…
In 2009, this legendary water marathoner was filmed the documentary “The Big River Man” (see below), in which shows how difficult it is for a person to swim the Amazon. Almost impossible…
A photo from open sources
Martin Strel was born in 1954, he is already over sixty, retirement age but this amazing swimmer is not going to go on vacation, he travels a lot around the world, meets people, encourages the public to think about the ecology of the Earth. And dreams swim around our deep-water planet. I, however says Martin, – the most ordinary person, I can’t change this the world, in my power only to draw attention to the problem and make at least some rulers to think about what we are doing with our blue (including from clear water) planet …
Water Time Fancy Records Records
