Vassos Alexander
EXTRA,  FEATURES,  July/August 2025

It’s all going swimmingly for Vassos Alexander

Sometimes the dreams that get away make the best books, as Simon Griffiths finds out from sports presenter Vassos Alexander during a swim in the Thames

Vassos Alexander had a simple plan: swim the English Channel and write a book celebrating his triumph.

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I started Outdoor Swimmer in 2011 (initially as H2Open Magazine) as an outlet for my passion for swimming outdoors. I've been a swimmer and outdoor swimmer for as long as I remember. Swimming has made a huge difference to my life and I want to share its joys and benefits with as many people as possible. I am also the author of Swim Wild & Free: A Practical Guide to Swimming Outdoors 365 a Year, I provide one-to-one support to swimmers through Swim Mentoring and I'm the creator of the Renaissance Swimmer project.