KIRSTEN SEIDEL
THE SWIMMER
BEHIND THE MISSION
SWIM AGAINST CANCER · 5 GREAT LAKES · 5 YEARS · 1 MISSION
More than two decades of open-water history. Sea crossings, rivers and endurance swims now form the foundation for The Great Lakes Mission.
FEHMARN BELT
2003
ELBE
~344 MILES · 10 DAYS
LAKE CONSTANCE
~40 MILES · ~36 HOURS
OPEN WATER
20+ YEARS
THE PROOF
AN OPEN-WATER HISTORY
2003
FEHMARN BELT
On August 17, Kirsten completed the open-sea crossing from Denmark to Germany. Contemporary reporting identifies her as the first German woman to do so.
2004
2006
ELBE · DRESDEN TO HAMBURG
Approximately 344 miles (553 km) in 10 days, from Dresden to Hamburg. Ten stages, with overnight stops on land.
2012
LAKE CONSTANCE / BODENSEE
Bodman to Bregenz: approximately 40 miles (64 km) in 36 hours, without a wetsuit. The planned circumnavigation ended there; no ratified world record is claimed.
2013
FEHMARN BELT · DOUBLE-CROSSING ATTEMPT
An attempt at a double Fehmarn Belt crossing ended during the return leg after approximately 15 hours in the water.
THE NEXT CHAPTER
THE GREAT LAKES
ARE NEXT
5 GREAT LAKES · 5 YEARS · 1 MISSION
The earlier swims establish the history. The Great Lakes are the mission ahead. Lake Superior is the planned first chapter in 2027, within a five-year framework spanning all five lakes. Preparation is now focused on routes, changing conditions, support crews and safety decisions. Partnerships and practical support will be essential to carrying the project at this scale. Each lake requires its own operational plan; experience alone cannot replace that work. Kirsten brings the swimming history. The mission brings a larger purpose: SWIM AGAINST CANCER.
THE PURPOSE
SWIM AGAINST
CANCER
The cause predates the Great Lakes Mission. In 2006, kilometer sponsorships linked Kirsten’s Elbe swim with support for children and families affected by cancer through Sonnenstrahl e.V. in Dresden and the phönikks Foundation in Hamburg. Her 2012 Lake Constance project also raised funds for children with cancer. Today, SWIM AGAINST CANCER carries that purpose into a new mission, with its own preparation and partnerships.
MEDIA & DOCUMENTATION
DOCUMENTED OVER DECADES
Independent reporting, institutional documentation and specialist open-water coverage have followed Kirsten Seidel’s swims for more than two decades.
International open-water swimming organization · Exclusive interview · English
South African English-language news coverage · Elbe charity swim · 2006
International swimming publication · Fehmarn Belt crossing archive · English
Swiss international news service · Lake Constance coverage · 2012 · German
German national news magazine · Fehmarn Belt attempt · 2013 · German
Germany’s international broadcaster · Lake Constance television feature · 2012 · German
Institutional documentation · Elbe swim · engineering background · charity · 2006 · German
BEYOND THE WATER
ENGINEERING
Mechanical engineer with a background in fluid mechanics and research at TU Dresden. The university documented her scientific role at its Institute of Aerospace Engineering.
WRITING
Author of German-language children’s and personal-development books, alongside her engineering and swimming work.
MENTAL PREPARATION
In her WOWSA interview, Kirsten describes visualization and relaxation as parts of her personal preparation for endurance swimming, alongside physical training.
KIRSTENSEIDEL.COM · COMING SOON
FOLLOW THE MISSION
Explore The Great Lakes Mission and the preparation for its planned first chapter, Lake Superior.