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Nathalie Pohl river swimming challenge

Updated 2 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

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2026-08-13 10:56 UTC → 2026-08-14 02:32 UTC · added removed

German extreme swimmer Nathalie Pohl has launched the ‘Rivers: Frankfurt to Cologne’ challenge, an endurance attempt to swim approximately 200 to 220 kilometers through the Main and Rhine rivers over four days. The expedition aims to reach the German Sport & Olympic Museum in Cologne to raise funds for children’s swimming projects in collaboration with DVAG hilft e. V. The initiative is motivated by German Life Saving Society statistics, which reported at least 261 drownings in German waters through July 2026. The project has already raised over 85,000 euros in donations. Pohl, who has previously completed all seven of the world’s most dangerous ocean passages, is supported by eleven rotating open-water swimmers and seven safety boats. Social media influencer Marinus Obermair is also participating by swimming a segment of To manage the route. distance, Pohl swims in shifts, alternating with other open-water swimmers every two hours. During the second stage of the journey, as the route transitioned from the Main onto the Rhine, the team encountered significant obstacles. A support swimmer had to be removed from the water for a 27-kilometer stretch near the Loreley, between Bingen and St. Goar, because swimming permits were denied due to fast currents. Additionally, the region is facing significant low water levels; according to the Wasserstraßen- und Schifffahrtsverwaltung, levels at the Kaub gauge have dropped so low that many classes of ships are unable to navigate the Middle Rhine. These low levels have also impacted water quality, contributing to environmental factors such as warm water and algae. Despite these physical and environmental strains, Pohl is expected to reach her destination in Cologne on Friday afternoon.

Versions

  1. 2026-08-14 02:32 UTC Nathalie Pohl river swimming challenge
  2. 2026-08-13 10:56 UTC Nathalie Pohl river swimming challenge
  3. 2026-08-11 14:14 UTC Nathalie Pohl river swimming challenge

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