Swimmer to attempt 3-day, 3 night non-stop Corsica to Monaco crossing

Article updated at 10:35 on August 20 to reflect the new target date to begin the challenge

An endurance swimmer is set to undertake a 180km swim across the Mediterranean to call for better protection for one of the world’s most polluted seas. 

Noam Yaron, 27, will set off from Calvi, on Corsica’s northern coast, on an epic swim that will take three days and three nights to reach Monaco.

He says he will use hypnotic training to sleep. “I can turn off a part of my brain while I am swimming, so I can rest while still kind of aware,” he told The Connexion. 

“It is kind of a meditative state that is unique to sportspeople who have been doing their sport for years. So I can set myself to keep going like autopilot and have a part of my brain asleep. Dolphins do the same. They cannot stop swimming so they have to turn a part of their brain off while the other part is still working to be alert and avoid different threats in the sea.” 

He will also be able to catch a few minutes’ rest on his back if the weather allows and the waves are not too high. “But I don’t think it will happen, I think I will be too alert to everything going on and trying to finish as soon as possible,” he said. 

The attempt is set to take place on Friday, August 23, weather permitting. It had been scheduled to begin on August 17, but was pushed back because of unfavourable weather and sea conditions. It could be delayed until as late as August 30. 

“None of my previous three challenges were in the sea, I mostly swam in Switzerland,” said Mr Yaron, who broke the world record time for swimming Lake Geneva in 2021.

“It is quite different from lake swimming – we could have some waves, as well as currents. It is very alive compared to lakes, which are quite peaceful.” 

“It is about being slow enough to make it work and fast enough to spend as little time as possible in the water because the body is not made to be in the sea for three days and three nights,” he said. 

If successful, Mr Yaron, who is from Switzerland, will break the world record for the longest swim in a wetsuit without leaving the water. 

Environmental cause 

It was while completing his world-record swim on Lake Geneva when Mr Yaron realised the extent of the pollution affecting the lake. 

After two further swims in Switzerland, he decided to “create a challenge that is as big as the environmental issues that we are facing right now.” 

As of 2024, just 0.23% of the Mediterranean is designated as highly or fully protected. The EU aims to protect 10% of EU seas by 2030, according to its Biodiversity Strategy for 2030. 

Mr Yaron is working with partners including the International Union for Conservation of Nature, which compiles its red list of endangered species, as well as NGOs and foundations including the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation. Prince Albert himself could wave Mr Yaron off and welcome him at the end of the swim. 

Mr Yaron will swim the length of the Pelagos Sanctuary, an area of the Mediterranean that has special protection for marine mammals, including whales and dolphins. 

“The goal is to symbolically represent an animal that is crossing this area – I will be facing the same threats,” he said. 

As well as raising awareness, Mr Yaron wants to convince the governments of France, Italy and Monaco, which manage the Pelagos area, to make laws to reduce the speed of boats. 

“One of the biggest threats for animals such as dolphins, sharks and whales is a collision with a boat. They are disorientated by the sound of the boats and most collisions are fatal,” he said. 

Supporters can donate five euros, pounds or dollars and symbolically sponsor one cubic metre of Mr Yaron’s journey. He has split the 180km journey into 180,000 cubic metres, and each supporter will share in the world record, if he is successful. 

“By sponsoring you will become a co-owner of this longest swim for nature. The goal is to involve people and all the money raised will be re-invested in projects with the goal to improve the level of protection of the Mediterranean Sea,” he said. 

Instagram star 

Mr Yaron, who has 340,000 followers on Instagram, keeps followers updated on his training and preparation via his social media channels. 

He said one of the greatest challenges will be the prospect of jellyfish. 

“It could be potentially deadly. If I come across a big group of jellyfish I could go into anaphylactic shock, so the goal is to avoid them at all costs,” he said. 

One of his two support boats will sail ahead of Mr Yaron to scout the sea for jellyfish. 

More mental than physical 

“It is more mental than physical,” Mr Yaron said of the challenge. 

“I give myself a lot of pep talks,” he says. “I also listen to music when I’m swimming, it’s about trying to be calm and feeling in the flow.”

British singer Raye and US artist Billie Eilish will be two of the musicians accompanying him through his headphones during the challenge. 

“When I’m listening to Raye’s music, for example, I'm imagining her in the concert, and myself in other situations. I’ll try to travel with my thoughts as far as possible from where I am. It can be very lonely in the sea sometimes, even though my team is there,” he said. 

Mr Yaron will also use hypnosis methods to shift attention away from the parts of his body that are in pain.

“It is having this conversation with myself, diagnosing all my body parts and saying ‘who can take over while this one is suffering?’ It’s a technique that I developed with my mental coach and it works,” he said. 

Celebratory Champagne? 

After giving up alcohol six months ago in preparation for the swim, Mr Yaron has noticed a positive effect on his performance. 

“It’s made a huge difference,” he said. “But the big question is will I drink a glass of champagne to celebrate once I reach Monaco?” 

You can follow Noam Yaron’s challenge at his website, and on his Instagram.