Cameron Bellamy

Cameron Bellamy
EducationMaster's Degree
Alma materUniversity of Queensland
OccupationEndurance athlete

Cameron Bellamy is an endurance athlete from South Africa. He has broken numerous records including being one of six men on a team to row across the Drake Passage in 2019. He also broke the record for the longest ocean channel swim previously held by Chloe McCardel.

Early life and education

Bellamy grew up in Cape Town, South Africa. He attended the University of Queensland in Australia where he earned a Master's Degree.[1]

Career

Bellamy began swimming at the age of 29.[2]

In September 2019, Bellamy completed the longest ocean channel swim on record, making the 151.7 km (94.3 mi) trip from Barbados to St Lucia in 56 hours and 36 minutes. The previous record was held by Chloe McCardel who completed a 124.4 km (77.3 mi) trip approximately five years prior.[3]

Between 13 and 25 December 2019, Bellamy, along with five other men, (Fiann Paul, Andrew Towne, Colin O'Brady, Jamie Douglas-Hamilton, and John Peterson) rowed across the Drake Passage in a 29 ft (8.8 m) vessel, enduring freezing temperatures, rain, snow, and waves up to 30 ft (9.1 m) in height. The rowers worked in 90-minute shifts for 24 hours a day, travelling 665 mi (1,070 km).[4] The trip was documented in real-time by the Discovery Channel in a multi-platform series documentary called The Impossible Row.[5]

After completion of the Drake Passage, Bellamy planned to complete the longest unassisted swim at 180 km (110 mi), to take place across Issyk-Kul Lake in Kyrgyzstan. The goal was to complete the record set by Sarah Thomas of 168.3 km (104.6 mi) set swimming across Lake Champlain in North America. The feat was put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[6]

References

  1. ^ "Locals Fascinated by Cameron Bellamy's Planned "Swim Around Barbados"". Rhodes University. 8 August 2016. Archived from the original on 5 August 2020. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  2. ^ "Cameron Bellamy". Discovery Channel. Archived from the original on 22 September 2020. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
  3. ^ "Swimming: Endurance athlete completes longest ocean swim". Reuters. 15 September 2019. Archived from the original on 2 October 2019. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
  4. ^ Schlossman, Brad Elliott (25 January 2020). "Central grad Andrew Towne on finishing The Impossible Row: 'We all looked like zombies'". Grand Forks Herald. Archived from the original on 26 January 2020. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  5. ^ Alcini, Daniele (20 January 2020). "Discovery Channel to examine first rowing voyage across the Drake Passage". Real Screen. Archived from the original on 30 August 2020. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  6. ^ Gleason, Mark (17 April 2020). "Swimming: Coronavirus pandemic sees adventurer Bellamy switch challenges". Reuters. Archived from the original on 20 May 2020. Retrieved 30 September 2020.