Henley swimmer completes Manhattan Island night swim
An open water swimmer and river campaigner has completed an overnight non-stop swim around Manhattan.
Laura Reineke, founder of the Henley Mermaids open water swimming group, completed the 20 Bridges Swim in nine hours and 14 minutes.
Having set off at 19:30 local time (00:30 BST) on Friday, Ms Reineke and her swimming partner Lee Saudan swam 30.1 miles (48.5km) through the night.
She battled through seasickness to complete the challenge, which she said was "so tough".
Ms Reineke, from Henley-on-Thames, faced difficult conditions during the early stages of the race, with the East River near the Brooklyn Bridge proving particularly choppy.
Other difficulties overcome by the pair included avoiding a jet ski that was being driven without any lights at about 02:00.
During the swim, the pair were accompanied by a kayaker who threw liquid feeds to them on a line.
"It's 90% in your head and you have to have a word with yourself. There were points I thought 'there's no way I'm going to finish this'," Ms Reineke added.
The gruelling swim was in aid of WildFish, a charity that campaigns to protect fish and their waters, and they have so far raised more than £5,000.
Ms Reineke said before the challenge that she hoped "to increase awareness of the crisis facing rivers and freshwater species which are disappearing at five times the rate of those on land".
The swim took in all 20 bridges that link Manhattan Island to the mainland and is part of the triple crown of open water swimming.
The pair hope to swim the third leg, the Catalina Channel swim, a 20-mile crossing in California, as early as next year.
If they complete that, they will be two of about 30 women who have completed that, the 20 Bridges Swim and swum the English Channel.
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