1,000 Miles in 114 Days, Killer Whales and 130ft Waves: Ross Edgley Achieves a Historic Open Water Challenge.
In 2025, ultra-marathon sea swimmer Ross Edgley has become the first person to swim the entire coastline of Iceland. Taking a total of 114 days to complete, and swimming over 1,000 miles (1,610 km), this historic moment was accomplished while conducting crucial ocean conservation research. This record-breaking expedition, which was supported by the all-electric BMW iX, pushed the limits of human performance and innovation. Edgley was dedicated to minimising his environmental impact at every stroke - harnessing innovative sustainable practices, renewable energy and cutting-edge technology to reduce carbon emissions. Just as Edgley’s challenge in the water demanded unwavering resilience in one of the most extreme environments on Earth, BMW’s all-electric land support brang class-leading range, efficiency and performance.
Speaking about the expedition, Edgley said, “This has been the toughest and most ambitious challenge I have attempted yet,” said Edgley upon completing the swim. “Iceland provided an incredible opportunity to test my physical and mental limits – the country has provided some insane experiences I will never forget.”
The expedition was supported by lead sponsors BMW. The all-electric BMW iX served as the challenge’s support vehicle. EV-specific features such as pre-conditioning allowed the vehicle to warm the cabin and clear ice from the glass ahead of early starts and late finishes. Alongside transporting crew members and essential provisions, it also supported researchers by collecting scientific samples during the journey.
"This challenge is an extraordinary test of endurance and determination - qualities that resonate deeply with us at BMW. We’re proud to support Ross as he takes on this remarkable feat and pushes the limits of what’s possible. The BMW iX is built for efficiency and performance in the toughest conditions, making it the perfect companion for such an ambitious expedition."
Test of endurance
Renowned for
its 130ft waves, 260 km/h gusts of wind, and storms of snow, sand and volcanic
ash, Iceland presents an unforgiving test of endurance. Edgley swam over 30 km per day in freezing waters, navigated treacherous conditions,
and shared the ocean with killer whales - all while contributing to vital ocean
conservation research.
To put that into perspective, this is comparable to swimming the English Channel every single day, in
water temperatures as low as 1°C (33.8°F). No stranger to ambitious swims,
Edgley became the first - and so far, only - person to swim 1,780 miles around
Great Britain (2018). More recently, in 2024, he completed the world’s longest
non-stop river swim, covering 510 km down Canada’s Yukon River. But this
challenge around Iceland will be unlike anything he has faced before.
"But in all seriousness, Iceland is one of nature’s great masterpieces, and swimming around it represents a unique opportunity to fuse sport, adventure, and science. We’re working with some incredible researchers from the University of Iceland to conduct pioneering research that will help preserve and protect our oceans."
Scientific exploration
More than just a world-first endurance feat, this expedition was also a pioneering scientific study. Ross collected water samples in a unique collaboration between leading researchers from the University of Iceland and the University of Victoria (Canada) to analyse and map microplastic distribution in the waters around Iceland.
He also teamed up with the Marine and Freshwater Research Institute of Iceland and #BioProtect as part of an ambitious international project to map biodiversity and identify what marine creatures are present in Iceland’s water through daily eDNA1 samples. Supporting citizen science, all Humpback whales and Orcas sighted during the trip will be photographed for a unique study tracking cetacean movements and numbers around Iceland for the Marine and Freshwater Research Institute.
Follow Ross Edgley's adventures on social media
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