Teen Swimmer Maya Merhige Nears Historic Feat in Oceans Seven Challenge

Eighteen-year-old open-water swimmer Maya Merhige has moved one step closer to making history after successfully completing the 21.4-mile North Channel swim from Ireland to Scotland.

Closing in on a Guinness World Record

According to KTVU, Merhige completed the challenging crossing on Wednesday in 12 hours, 19 minutes and 37 seconds, marking the fifth successful swim in her quest to complete the prestigious Oceans Seven challenge. If she completes the remaining two swims on schedule, she is expected to become the youngest person to complete the Oceans Seven, earning a Guinness World Record. The Oceans Seven is regarded as one of the toughest endurance challenges in open-water swimming and comprises seven iconic channel crossings around the world, including the English Channel, Catalina Channel, Strait of Gibraltar, North Channel, Kaiwi Channel, Cook Strait and Tsugaru Strait. Merhige began the challenge in 2021 by completing the Catalina Channel at just 14 years old. In 2023, she became the youngest person to swim Hawaii's Kaiwi Channel. She later added the English Channel and New Zealand's Cook Strait to her growing list of accomplishments. She has also completed the Lake Tahoe Triple Crown, the 20 Bridges swim around Manhattan, the 3 Rocks swim in San Francisco Bay and a 10-mile marathon around Angel Island.

Swimming for a cause

While the athletic achievement is remarkable, Merhige says her biggest motivation is raising awareness for those affected by cancer. "I swim for each and every single person that has ever been touched by cancer," she wrote on her website. "Whether it's for a patient, a doctor, a family member, or a friend, I swim for them all." For her latest North Channel crossing, she wore a swim cap inscribed with the names of people who have battled or are currently battling cancer as a tribute to them. Since the age of nine, Merhige has worked with Swim Across America to raise funds for pediatric cancer research. According to the non-profit, she has raised more than $165,000, including over $12,500 this year alone. The proceeds support pediatric cancer research and patient care programmes at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals.

Inspired by a friend

Merhige has often said that one of her greatest inspirations is her late friend Sam Hallward, who died from brain cancer in 2022 at the age of 12. "He was one of the most outgoing and adventurous kids I knew," she previously told KTVU. "I just know that he would have loved to be in all of the awesome places that I get to go while swimming." Merhige is scheduled to attempt the Strait of Gibraltar crossing next month. Her final Oceans Seven swim, the Tsugaru Strait in Japan, has not yet been scheduled. If successful, the Berkeley teenager will become the youngest person to complete one of open-water swimming's most demanding endurance challenges while continuing to raise awareness and funds for pediatric cancer research.