Noam Yaron: 180km world record swim between Monaco and Calvi in view
Noam Yaron will arrive at Le Méridien in Monaco after swimming for 3 days and 3 nights © Noam Yaron Production / Nightcall Studio
It won’t ‘just’ be sporting and personal record. Noam Yaron is also raising funds for the environment and the Mediterranean Sea.
Noam Yaron, 27, is about to pull off a major feat. Starting tomorrow August 17, the young Swiss will be heading to Corsica to take on a titanic challenge: swimming the 180 kilometres between Calvi and Monaco.
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As soon as the weather conditions allow, Noam will set off across the Mediterranean with the aim of covering the distance in under 3 days and 3 nights, without leaving the water. If all goes according to plan, he will set a new world record for the longest distance ever swum in a wetsuit, all in support of nature! A world first that is ratified by the World Open Water Swimming Federation.
In the world’s most polluted sea … “It’s alarming”
A far cry from the picture-postcard Mediterranean landscapes. It is said to be the most polluted sea in the world, exceeding even the amount of plastic found on the ‘plastic continent’ in the Pacific. “It’s alarming…” says the Swiss swimmer.
The European Union is aiming for total protection of at least 10% of seas and land by 2030. But for now we’re pretty far off target, so the swimmer is taking the lead with this sporting challenge, to get people’s attention and prompt action.
To achieve the record, Noam Yaron has chosen to swim in a wetsuit, despite record water temperatures in the Mediterranean over the last few days, nearly 30°C. However, wetsuits reduce the amount of sun cream, which is known to be harmful to marine ecosystems.
A communication campaign that stresses the environmental aspect
With almost 400,000 followers on social media, Noam Yaron is determined to raise public awareness about the importance of nature conservation.
The young athlete is backed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and has joined forces with the Ufoundation to set up a non-profit fundraising campaign.
The principle is simple: Noam Yaron will swim the 180 km from Calvi to Monaco, 180,000 m3 of water. He is therefore inviting contributors to symbolically preserve one or more of those 180,000 cubic metres, represented by the six emblematic Mediterranean species that are endangered, according to the IUCN Red List. For example, a loggerhead turtle represents 1 m3 while a monk seal ‘counts for’ 3 m3 and a fin whale represents 15 m3. Each cubic metre will be sold at a flat rate of 5 CHF / € / £ / $.
The money raised will be used to fund conservation projects in the Mediterranean, and as a little bonus, each contributor will become joint holder of the record for the longest swim in the world in aid of nature.
A committed athlete
Noam Yaron is now a regular in terms of sporting exploits in favour of the environment. In 2021 he crossed Lake Geneva (80 km long) in under 20 hours. In 2022, he crossed the five largest lakes in Switzerland, and in 2023, he did a 750km triathlon with 13,000m of altitude gain, crossing Switzerland from east to west.
As Noam stresses:“Raising awareness is good, but taking action is better.”