Van Rooyen completes double Robben Island swim

Veteran Namibian swimmer Irma van Rooyen this week completed a double Robben Island crossing in Cape Town in under six hours, braving cold water and strong currents.

Van Rooyen says the Robben Challenge is one of the most demanding cold-water swims in the region.

It was conducted in water temperatures of approximately 13°C, and forms the first leg of the Cape Triple Crown of open water swimming, which includes the Robben Island crossing, the Cape Point swim, and the False Bay crossing.

These events present distinct environmental and physical challenges, with cold exposure, currents, and distance being key factors.

Van Rooyen’s husband, Cobus van Rooyen, told The Namibian Sport that she completed the swim without a wetsuit (“skins”), in line with traditional marathon swimming rules.

“This adds a significant physiological challenge, particularly in sustained exposure to cold water over extended periods,” Cobus says.

The Robben Island Swimming Challenge is a 7.4k–11km open water swim from Robben Island to Cape Town, known for its extreme, icy conditions, treacherous currents, and marine life.

It is considered a “pinnacle” achievement. The challenge usually takes two to four hours and requires extensive training, extreme endurance, and high mental fortitude to combat hypothermia, strong currents, potential shark encounters, and jellyfish.

Van Rooyen previously completed a single Robben Island crossing in 2024 and the UltraSwim 33.3km event in Croatia in 2025.

She also placed first in her age group at the OTB Oanob 5km event.

Earlier in her career, she represented Namibia at the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur in 1998.

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