A FORMER pupil from Mount House School, Tavistock, is soon to be launched into the record books alongside legendary sportsmen as he becomes the first person to swim in all five oceans. Lewis Gordon Pugh just weeks ago set a record for the southernmost long-distance swim ever undertaken. He plunged into the icy waters at 0 degrees Celsius off the Antarctic Peninsula and swam 1km for 18 minutes and ten seconds. Now he is to complete a long-distance swim in all five oceans of the world, the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, Arctic and Southern oceans. This will put Lewis in the record books with legendary sportsmen and explorers such as Sir Roger Bannister and Sir Edmund Hillary. On January 16 Lewis swam in the Indian Ocean, his fourth on the list of five, 12kms across Nelson Mandela Bay in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. He received a warm welcome as he swam ashore after the five-hour crawl through choppy waters by African Xhosa drummers. While Lewis was on the swim in the Indian Ocean a boat accompanied him which ran an electronic anti-shark device to prevent him becoming shark bait. Lewis has pioneered more swims than any other swimmer in history. He has completed long distance swims in the Atlantic Ocean (English Channel, 1992), the Arctic Ocean (North Cape, Norway, 2003) and the Southern Ocean (Deception Island, Sub-Antarctica, 2005). His last long distance swim will take place on January 27. Lewis is to dive into the Pacific Ocean at Bondi Beach in Australia and swim 17kms to the Sydney Opera House to complete his challenge. Lewis, 36, was born in Plymouth and educated at Mount House Preparatory School, where he learned to swim in an outdoor pool. If anyone wishes to follow his final challenge, go to http://www.lewispugh.com">www.lewispugh.com
