This morning Africa seems blurred. Towards there will be directed from Tarifa the 22 swimmers that will make this crossing between the days 1 and 17 of September. 

The Strait of Gibraltar expands from the Spanish coast (Isla de las Palomas) to the African coast (Punta Cires) 16 kilometers, if the current lets us swim the shortest distance between both points. If it is strong they can leave up to 22 kilometers. In addition to the currents there are other issues that concern swimmers, such as the animals that live in these waters - there is a family of orcas that lives nearby - and the temperature of the water that oscillates between 15 and 19 degrees. 

So crossing the Straits is a challenge. Or rather: THE CHALLENGE. In uppercase. 

But the CHALLENGE is not just to cross. Crossing is beautiful and fun, it's "the goal" of the season ... The real challenge is the commitment and involvement of swimmers for months to train, and to reconcile work, personal and sports life. This is difficult. Much more than doing laps at 1:30, 1:20 or 1:50. All of you have had training sessions at untimely hours in the morning (or at night); or you have arrived late at a dinner party (or you have not even reached it). Surely, many of you have been through the "I-have-a-10K-training-session-Sunday-morning" moment with your partners or relatives, who, sometimes, might have reluctantly answered "it's okaaaaaaaaay" -with a long a. But in the end here they are, sharing this adventure with you (even if it is from home in some cases) and sure telling everyone that you will cross the Straits, while they have a half smile on their faces. 

Seeing the whole panorama ... Let's hope the Strait let's be crossed in the first two weeks of September.

Good luck to everyone and Swim the World!

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