Age is just a number: 59-Year-Old Karen Kennedy makes history with 30km quadruple Robben Island crossing

Karen Kennedy recently made history by completing a feat no woman had achieved before: a quadruple Robben Island crossing in "skins," covering nearly 30 kilometres in just over 10 hours.

“The decision was sparked after my Triple RI (Robben Island) crossing in skins in 2025," said Kennedy. "Only the second woman to have done so, I was recorded as having been the fastest woman (and oldest person) to complete a Triple in skins. That motivated me to complete one last challenge whilst still in my 50s… the first female skins swimmer to ever complete a quadruple crossing.”

The 59-year-old’s swim, undertaken without a wetsuit, is now pending official ratification by Guinness World Records as the first and fastest female to complete the challenge.

Kennedy noted that the third leg of the journey proved to be the most gruelling.

“I felt most tested on the third crossing, about 3km from Robben Island (20km in). We hit a very strong current, which was holding us back and slowing me down; I had to work much harder than usual to cover the distance," she recalled. "The water was extremely choppy, and I swallowed quite a bit of seawater. It was at this point that fatigue started to set in, and I also started to cramp in my legs."

When the physical toll mounted, Kennedy relied on mental fortitude to push through the "survival mode" instinct to quit.

“I counter that instinct by telling myself to relax. ‘You’ve got this,’ I remind myself. I’ve done all the necessary training, ticked all the preparation boxes, and I have the skills, the power, the strength, and the determination to finish what I’d started."

She managed the distance by breaking the swim into manageable intervals, focusing solely on the 30-minute windows between feedings. Her nutrition strategy included a mix of carbohydrates and protein, electrolytes, and warm rooibos tea with honey to maintain body temperature and energy levels.

While the verification process is rigorous, requiring strict adherence to international protocols from bodies like the Cape Long Distance Swimming Association, Kennedy’s achievement has already resonated far beyond the swimming community.

Approaching her 60th birthday, Kennedy set out not only to test her own limits but to challenge the stigma surrounding ageing.

“There is a belief that it’s all downhill after 50, and that it’s too late to be or become physically strong," Kennedy told Eyewitness News. "I believe it’s probably the most important time in your life to get moving, or to continue moving, and working on strength training as you age.”

Kennedy’s path to the record books was not linear. A provincial swimmer in her youth, she stepped away from the sport for over two decades. It was only in her early 40s that she returned to the water, eventually embracing the extreme challenge of cold-water ocean swimming after moving to Cape Town.

Despite the "solo" nature of the record, Kennedy insists the achievement belongs to her support network.

“Every marathon swimmer has a TEAM, spouse, partner, trainers, coach, swim buddies, and an official support team on the day," she said. "As far as I’m concerned, this makes it a team sport.”

The quadruple crossing required four consecutive laps between the mainland and the island, with Kennedy exiting the water briefly at each turn.

A dedicated support boat, jointly funded by the South African Rooibos Council (SARC) and Kennedy’s swimming partner, Graham du Toit, provided the necessary safety and navigation to ensure the swim remained incident-free.

Reflecting on the 10-hour ordeal, Kennedy kept her perspective simple: “I remind myself that it's only 10 to 12 hours out of my entire life and that there will be plenty of time to rest tomorrow.”