Iris Ashman - Bodensee (length)

Bodman (DE) to Bregenz (AT)

63.4 km (39.4 miles)

30 hours, 16 minutes on 16-17 June 2024

Observed and documented by Thorsten Springmann

First woman

Contents

Swimmer

  • Name: Iris Ashman
  • Gender: female
  • Age on swim date: 60
  • Nationality: Germany
  • Resides: Diss, Norfolk, England

Support Personnel

  • Patrick Boche - skipper, lifeguard, DLRG
  • Reiner Jäckle - press / photographer
  • Markus Sommerfeld - feeding / moral support
  • Sue Robinson - feeding / moral support / support swimmer

Observer

Thorsten Springmann

Observer on Martyn Webster’s Bodensee swim, Sept 2023. Own marathon swims at Lake Constance from Friedrichshafen to Romanshorn (12km / 2022/23) and along the Croatian coast from Camping Umag to Kastanjia (and back) 10.5km. Life Guard Germany - Deutsches Rettungsschwimmabzeichen Gold.

Escort Vessel

Name Type Port
unnamed Speedwave SP9.5 Harbour Gohren


Swim Parameters

  • Category: Solo, nonstop, unassisted.
  • Rules: MSF Rules of Marathon Swimming, without exception or modification.
  • Equipment used: Textile swimsuit (Nike Racerback), silicone cap, goggles (Zoggs predator flex), earplugs.

Route Definition

  • Body of Water: Bodensee (Lake Constance)
  • Route Type: one-way
  • Start Location: Bodman Strandbad (47.805281, 9.030521)
  • Finish Location: Bregenz Harbour Beach (47.508126, 9.749987)
  • Minimum Route Distance: 63.4 km (39.4 miles) (map)

History

LongSwimsDB: Bodensee.


Swim Data

  • Start: 16 June 2024, 11:48:11 (European Summer Time, Europe/Berlin, UTC2).
  • Finish: 17 June 2024, 18:05:01
  • Elapsed: 30 hours, 16 minutes, 50 seconds.

Summary of Conditions

Feature Min Max
Water Temp (C) 17.6 19.4
Air Temp (C) 17.2 26.8
Wind (knots) 1 10

GPS Track

Trackpoint frequency: 30 minutes. Download raw data (CSV).

Click to expand map.

Speed Plot

Nutrition: See observer log.


Observer Log

Download PDF


Swimmer Statement

by Iris Ashman

What inspired you to do this swim?

After my EC in 2018 I very quickly found out that, unless I found a very generous sponsor, I won’t be able to do the well known published swims (O7, triple crown,…) so I had to look elsewhere. Over the years I’ve done long swims but now I had the feeling I was ready for more. So as a present to myself for my 60th birthday I was on the lookout for something “big” and “affordable” and in my case with a “personal” connection.

By chance a friend suggested lake Constance the 3-countries crossing but when I looked into it I found out that you could also swim the length of lake Constance and that it hasn’t been achieved by a woman yet. I could become a “first”….and my dream was born.

So if you look at it it was a 3-fold attraction:

  • a big (difficult) swim that gets me out of my comfort zone
  • becoming the first woman (and oldest person) to do this swim
  • have a chance to visit family as my cousin lives close by who I hadn’t seen in many many years. He also told me that there is a ferry doing this crossing and I didn’t need to swim all this way 😂

Describe how you planned for the swim.

This marathon swimming is addictive and ever since my EC in 2018 I wanted more. I try to challenge myself (body and mind) to find out what I’m capable off.

When my 60th birthday was on the horizon I wanted something that really will test me and push me to my limit.

With those big swims I find it important that you 100% trust and have faith in your crew and their approach to the swim in hand.

When I inquired first with a different organisation I didn’t get this feeling at all. There was no real communication and everything had to be organised by myself (including boat hire for the day). When I spoke to “the other guy” it was clear he didn’t believe in my ability to do the swim because I was basically a “nobody” in the world of marathon swimming with no “real” swims to my name. Also I wasn’t a spring chicken anymore. As I wasn’t happy with this sort of attitude I dismissed the swim buried my dream and started looking for something else.

By chance a few months later I read about Martyn Webster in an WOWSA article who did this swim in the opposite direction with a total different organiser. My interest was lit again and I got in contact with Martyn who gave me all the relevant info.

A few emails and phone calls later with the “new” guy my slot was booked. It was so reassuring to actually find someone who is with you rather than against you. Needless to say we hit it off from the word go and I was happy to get all the support I wanted/needed as I think you need the mental stability and not worry what if.

Because it is such a complex swim and I don’t live close by he booked me a 3 week window so we had the best chance to find the right day to make it a successful swim.

I had nothing else planned for 2024 as I was 100% focused on crossing lake Constance.

Bodensee-Openwater/Patrick Boche only asked me for one thing “Be well prepared”.

When I decided to go big I also signed up for an online coaching programme with Sarah Thomas who helped me with my preparation which saw me swim successfully around Jersey and Eddie stone lighthouse-Plymouth bay only 3 weeks apart in 2023.

As I felt I still had energy left after those 2 big swims the training was going in the right direction and I was happy to go bigger for 2024. It definitely will be more intense but that’s all part of the journey to push yourself.

Everything was in place and Patrick was watching the lake like a hawk so he could give enough warning to travel and head towards Lake Constance if the time/conditions were right. Than by the end of May bad weather hit the region with heavy rain and flooding. A state of emergency was declared around the lake. In fact it was so bad that it made the evening news here in the UK.

My swim was in jeopardy and it really hit me hard as I put so much into it and was now at the mercy of the weather. I was ready to throw the towel but Patrick assured me it will be fine just keep your faith and keep on training. We kept in close contact and exchanged mails nearly on a daily basis with weather updates and general info. Eventually we decided on a traveling date for the 24/25 calender week. I booked my ferry ticket for the 13th June and had my crew on stand by. It’s getting real.

I worked till late morning on the 13th to than meet up with my first crew member Sue (who crewed RJ and Eddie Stone for me and knows me very well. She also supports me on lots of my training swims.) to travel to Dover to catch the ferry to France.

After the crossing we travelled to Germany to meet up with my brother the second crew member (he crewed for me on my EC and my IJsselmeer swim and generally likes to be part of his big sisters antics) and stay the night with him.

The next day we travelled to Wangen (lake Constance) where we stayed at my cousins place and it was so great to catch up with him as I hadn’t seen him for many years.

Saturday morning we met with Patrick to go through the swim and calm last minute nerves. The start was set for Sunday lunch time.

When we met this Saturday it was the first time that I saw the lake for real….it was big, huge…. enormous. Did I do the right thing. Have I bitten off more than I can chew. 64km is a long way. Lots of younger swimmers didn’t get across.

I was worried but everyone around me believed in me and was adamant I’ve got what it takes…..

BRING IT ON !!!

How did the swim go, generally? Did you face any unanticipated challenges?

I think if you finish a big swim you would always say it went well….

Swimming in such a big lake was a first for me and by wanting to become the first woman to do the length under Marathon swimming rules I put extra pressure on myself.

My brother just said swim as far as you can and do your best as we all know you will. Just go for it it’s yours for the taking.

I’m normally very quiet and focused when I start a swim and not at all emotional but this time I was in tears even before I entered the water. I didn’t know what was going on and why I was feeling this way. I had to give myself a kick up the backside and get on with it. I knew I’ve done my training and I trusted my crew so all I had to do was swim….and that’s what I did.

I eliminated all the negative thoughts and concentrated on the job in hand. I knew it wouldn’t be easy with the wind, currents (vortices), cold, dark, fatigue and self doubts but I would give it my best shot.

My feeding went well and I (eventually) was a happy swimmer making steady progress.

I had one major low in the swim late afternoon on day one where I all of a sudden felt a weird feeling of cold going through my whole body. Not a shiver but more like anxiety which made me tense up. I played with the thought to just touch the boat and it will all be over….NO I trained to hard to just give up without a fight. We agreed beforehand that I’m not allowed to make decisions at night so I thought a few more feeds and it will be dark and I have all night to decide what to do next. If I get through the night it might be ok next morning.

When it got dark the boat was all lit up and it felt so peaceful just gliding through the darkness. I could let go of all my worries and it felt like a big weight had been lifted of my shoulders. Like a big warm hug and that’s exactly what I needed. So in hindsight the night swim was the best part of the whole crossing.

At day break my spirit was back and I was ready to finish what I started. Try stopping me.

I now set myself goals to keep me going like “can I make it into the 24h club” and “maybe coach was wrong and it’s not a 30h swim but 26h” I can do two more hours on top of 24h….just believe. It can be done.

I never wanted any updates on how far or how long or how many strokes/mind from my crew just tell me we are making progress and I’m on target. That’s all I need to know.

Towards the end I asked a couple of times if we were actually going forward as I noticed that certain landmarks on the shore didn’t disappear so I was caught in a vortice but great piloting got me out of it and we were on track again.

I never forget when they all lined up at the side of the boat and shouted “ look ahead the big yellow building is the finish line. Just keep swimming it’s just in front of you go go go . Well it was probably another 5-6km but it was so close and the end was actually in sight.

I knew I was exhausted and could feel that I was at my limit but I came this far I’m not quitting now. I started praying to the lake “ please let me pass, let me finish this swim” funny how your mind works when you go beyond what you think is possible. The big yellow building was coming closer and closer and than the magic words “last feed” go go go.

Eventually I could see pebbles underneath me and people on the beach. Standing up was a bit tricky but I did it, not very gracefully tho. I finished the length of lake Constance to the Cheers of quite a few people on the shore.

My whole crew was in tears and even passing strangers were quite emotional.

At the age of 60 I became the first woman who swam the length of lake Constance. It was a nice warm Monday afternoon and I will remember this day forever. They sat me down on a small wall running along the shore and it was the best feeling ever. Lots of media which I don’t really remember but we got over it quickly.

Luckily I had family living close by so I was put in a car and driven straight back home where I had a celebrity ice-cream before I had a relaxing shower and than off to bed for the longest sleep ever. So yes if you ask me how the swim went I think it went well.


Photos

Click to enlarge.


Video


Video produced by Bodensee Openwater (BOW)