20 Bridges Manhattan – Finishing strong in 9 h 34
40 years EC anniversary swim, dedicated to PEACE – and no 2 of the Triple Crown
On Sept. 12, 2025, Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team and Peace Run team member Vasanti Niemz (68) from Heidelberg, Germany, accomplished the iconic “20 Bridges” open water marathon swim around Manhattan Island, dedicating it to PEACE in honour of the United Nations 80th anniversary, the 55th year of Sri Chinmoy Peace Meditations at the United Nations and the International Day of Peace coming up on Sept. 21st.
At the moment she is the oldest female ever to complete this 48,5 km (28,5 mile) current-assisted swim, with a time of 9 hours and 34 minutes. The Peace Torch of the Sri Chinmoy Oneness Home Peace Run was lit at the start and at the end and carried on the boat by her local boat crew Pipasa and Jamini. The swim is organised by New York Open Water (NYOW), who provide the accompanying safety boat and kayak including pilot, observer and kayaker. It was Vasanti’s longtime dream to swim around Manhattan, but for a slower swimmer it became only possible recently, with separate starts now in smaller groups of similar speed and the start time adjusted accordingly to the tidal currents, so the swim would be mostly current-assisted.
The start into the East River and past the UN was quite “lumpy” with strong headwind against the current, but into the Harlem River and in the first part of the Hudson the waters were calmer than expected. At the end it picked up again, but NYOW posted “Vasanti is finishing strong” . “We were delighted to actually finish over one hour ahead of schedule – and so much faster than the 12 hours I had kind of expected in case I might slow down towards the end, with strong headwinds and reduced endurance training this year due to a few infections,” Vasanti commented.
It was very special to swim in honour of the 80th UN anniversary and at the same time celebrate a personal 40th anniversary of her first English Channel swim of Sept. 9, 1985.
T
he Manhattan swim is part of the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming (Engl. Channel, Manhattan + Catalina), and she is planning to attempt the 3rd swim – Catalina Channel – in August 2026, for another age record.
- Read more: https://www.peacerun.org/us/news/2025…
- See our short video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6AXKwfRTeQ
” Individual self-transcendence
Collectively inspires
Humanity at large.”“A self-transcendence-mind
Has peace.
A oneness-heart
Is peace.”– Sri Chinmoy