“I swim among the jellyfish to get used to their bites”, says Stève Stievenart, extreme swimmer

At 44, Stève stievenart has already had several lives. A lifelong sports enthusiast, the Northerner has excelled in several disciplines. Marathoner, former jet ski world champion, rally pilot, he started extreme open water swimming five years ago. And since then, he has been accumulating exploits.

The first Frenchman to swim the English Channel back and forth in 2020, Stève also became this year the first French to successfully cross Loch Ness after having already swam in the icy waters of Lake Baikal and under the bridges of Manhattan. An extraordinary course for those who did not really like swimming at the base. Meet.

Stève Stiévenart, the extreme swimmer – Hellio

How did you become an extreme swimmer?

Following a separation in 2016, I suffered from depression. Nothing was going on in my life and I really came down very low. Economically, I could no longer pay my rent and I lived for a year in a shed without heating, which was useful for me later because it taught me to manage the cold. To get out of this situation, I had to hold on to something. I then wondered what my dream was. And in fact, since I was little, I was fascinated by these swimmers crossing the Channel. It seemed impossible to achieve but being at the lowest of the lowest, I told myself that I had nothing to lose and so I went for it.

How did you do it?

I knew that there were more English than French who attempted the crossing for cultural reasons. So, I took the ferry and I joined the Dover club where it matched immediately with Kevin murphy. At 73, he is a benchmark in the discipline because he has already swimed the English Channel 34 times. He took me under his wing and became a bit of my spiritual father. I told him I swam like a key of twelve (laughs) but wanted him to teach me how to cross the Channel. And four months later, I made a success of a first attempt in Dantesque conditions by taking 21 hours to reach Dover in Calais. It’s good but in my head, I already wanted to become the first French to make the return trip. Which I finally managed to do on August 12, 2020.

Steve Stiévenart with his trainer Kevin Murphy
Steve Stiévenart with his trainer Kevin Murphy – Hellio

The rules are very strict for this crossing …

Yes. Combinations are prohibited. We swim in the sea in a swimsuit, swimming cap, swimming goggles and that’s it. We are only allowed to put petroleum jelly on our body to avoid the rubbing of the sea salt. We are also not allowed to touch the assistance boat during the race, including when refueling. sends us via a rope.

You had to gain weight to become an open water swimmer. Why ?

In fact, I wanted to compensate for my technical deficiencies like the lack of speed by my adaptation to the element. To cross the Channel, it is necessary to take 7 to 10 kg compared to its weight of form. It is essential for physiological reasons. The normal body temperature of a human being is 37 degrees. But when you swim in water that is 15 degrees or cooler, you burn a tremendous amount of calories to stay at your temperature. So, if you don’t have enough reserves, it’s complicated even if you are an excellent swimmer. For example, four years ago swimmers from Michael Phelps’ team came to swim in the English Channel. They were going very fast but they held on for five hours before giving up. They were too dry and after a while the cold got the better of them.

We nickname you the seal. Why ?

It comes from the English who nicknamed me “Steve the Seal”. In fact, when I trained with them, I saturated the English food at the aid stations. After ten hours of eating Jelly Belly and chocolate cakes, I had terrible heartburn. I couldn’t eat that anymore. So I decided to implement the diet of seals, animals that I know well. I therefore stocked up on fatty fish (herring, mackerel, sardines, etc.) which I use as fuel for long crossings. That’s how I went from 63 kg to 110 in the space of four years. When I am in preparation, I eat a kilo of fish per day. It is a fat which is assimilated quickly by the body. And when I got to England with my fish at the supply station, they started calling me seal.

How do you manage to stay 35 hours in the water without sleeping?

It was very difficult, but I just learned not to sleep. I have an ability today to stay active for 48 hours. I don’t drink coffee, but I drink a lot of tea made with fresh ginger, for example. It must be said that unlike running or cycling where you can stop to rest, it is impossible to do in the water. If I stop, the race is over for me. If you take the start, you only stop at the finish. This is also why I learned to wear swimming goggles for 40 hours while sleeping six months with them. My eyeball got used to it eventually. I also stopped hot showers and only wash in cold water. It is a permanent adaptation. You might think that I am helpless but everything is played out in small details.

Steve Stievenart in the waters of the Hudson in New York
Steve Stievenart in the waters of the Hudson in New York – Hellio

What was the most complicated crossing?

Loch Ness (37 km) was very special. The water is black, you have no visibility. It is very scary. When you put your hand in the water, it disappears. And when night falls, you’re in total darkness except for the little boat light flashing. The tension is palpable. There is really something very special about this lake. It’s super scary. This is also why few swimmers manage to cross the lake. The lake crossing has been around since 1966. And in 55 years, only 25 people have managed to complete it. I am the 26th. It really is a tough race.

Steve Stiévenart in the waters of Loch Ness
Steve Stiévenart in the waters of Loch Ness – Hellio

What has been your biggest fear?

While crossing the Channel, I was caught in the middle of the night in a drifting fishing net. My head and my arms got stuck. I had 30 seconds, a minute of great stress. Because if the boat came to help me, the crossing was over. Miraculously, I managed to get out of my way to be able to leave.

In the open sea at night, you also get stressful because lots of critters come to touch you in the water. But we have to deal with the elements. For example, you practice swimming in schools of jellyfish to get used to it. I was stung 60 times while crossing the Channel. 90% happens in the head because it never happens the way you want. That’s why I do a lot of meditation and talk to the elements before attempting a crossing. I announce my arrival to them by telling them that I am there as a friend. It may seem irrational but it is the method that allows me to remove some of my fears.

How do you see what you have accomplished today?

It gives a lot of hope. I am the very example that you can bounce back after having been at the bottom of the hole. All this allowed me to get my head out of the water. I now work for Hellio, my main sponsor. I also work with scientists from all over the world who are working on my resistance in water, for example by analyzing my intestinal flora.

I come out of it all. And I know it helps people who regain their self-confidence. Whatever your dream is, hang in there because work pays off. For me, nothing is impossible.

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