New York — Carlos Franco Canton on Saturday became the first athlete from Yucatan to swim around Manhattan Island.
The achievement follows his Sept. 26 feat: being the first Yucatecan to swim the English Channel.
Franco Canton prepared for about a year for this challenge. He was in New York with the support of his wife, Abigail Ferrer, and others including trainer Nora Toledano.
Around 8:30 a.m. Franco Canton took the plunge, traveling 46 kilometers / 29 miles in relatively cold water. Franco Canton completed the challenge in 7 hours and 55 minutes, beating his own estimate of 9 to 10 hours. His Channel swim took 15 hours, 8 minutes and 45 seconds.
His next challenge, to swim from the coast of California to Catalina Island, would bring him the World Open Water Association Triple Crown. That distance is roughly the same as the English Channel’s, at roughly 33 kilometers / 22 miles.
The first Mexican to achieve the Triple Crown was Antonio Arguelles, in 1999 and 2009.
