Chris Kraus

Brian Ross, Quinten Nelson, Chris Kraus, Ross Morrow, Rick Gaenzle (left to right) after a successful North Channel crossing

The Oceans Seven Relay is nominated for the 2015 World Open Water Swimming Performance of the Year

Christopher T. Kraus is an American open water swimmer from New York who has completed a 3-man North Channel relay crossing and was a member of the first relay in history to complete a Relay Oceans Seven. Their Oceans Seven Relay crossing was piloted by Quinten Nelson, together with fellow Americans Brian Ross and Rick Gaenzle on 7 August 2012 in a record-setting time of 10 hours 18 minutes from Ireland to Scotland in 13-16°C despite a high volume of jellyfish.

3-man Relay

Kraus, Ross and Gaenzle consist of a renowned 3-man relay team based out of Connecticut in the United States. In addition to their successful relay across the North Channel (Ireland-Scotland), they also crossed the Strait of Gibraltar (Spain-Morocco), the English Channel (England-France), the Tsugaru Channel (Honshu-Hokkaido, Japan), the Molokai Channel (Molokai-Oahu), the Catalina Channel (Catalina Island to the California mainland), and the Cook Strait in NewZealand.

Oceans Seven

The trio are the first relay to complete the Oceans Seven (a Relay Oceans Seven. Their effort resulted in their Oceans Seven Relay being nominated for the 2015 World Open Water Swimming Performance of the Year. Kraus, Ross and Gaenzel have also completed numerous other open water swims, both as relay and singles, including double crossings of Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay as soloists.

Swim History

• 1969 to 1977. Swim team member, Redding Country Club, Redding, Connecticut USA.
• 1972 to 1974. Swim team member, Danbury YMCA, Danbury, Connecticut USA.
• 1974 to 1980. Swim team member, Westport YMCA, Danbury, Connecticut USA
• 1977 to 1978. Swim team member, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania USA
• 1981 to 1991. Recreational Swimmer, Redding Country Club, Redding, Connecticut, USA.
• 1991 to present. Recreational Swimmer, Home Pool, Easton, Connecticut
• 2006 to present. Recreational Swimmer. New York Athletic Club, New York, New York, USA
• 2006 to 2010. Participant in the annual Greenwich One Mile Swim at Tod’s Point, Greenwich, Connecticut USA
• 2006 to 2010. Participant in the annual Island Beach Two Mile Swim. Greenwich, Connecticut USA. 3rd in age group in 2008; won age group in 2009
• 2006 to 2010. Participant in the annual Westport/Weston YMCA Compo Beach One Mile Swim. Westport, Connecticut USA. 3rd in age group in 2008; 2009; 2010
• 2006 to 2010. Participant in the annual Madison Mile Swim. Madison, Connecticut, USA.
• 2006 to 2010. Participant in the annual Sharkfest and/or Alcatraz Challenge Swims. San Francisco, California USA. Won age group in 2009; 3rd in 40 and over category 2010
• 2006. English Channel, Dover, England to Cap Gris Nez, France. 5-man relay event. 11 hours 26 minutes
• 2009. Boston Light Swim. 8 mile open water swim. 2 man relay event. 3 hours 44 minutes. Boston, Massachusetts USA. Won relay category
• 2009 to 2010. Participant in the Fran Schnarr Memorial Open Water Swim Championships - 5k Division. Huntington Bay, New York USA. Won age group in 2010.

2011 Swims

• June 2011 - Madison Mile Swim. Madison, Connecticut USA
• June 2011 - Alcatraz Sharkfest Swim. San Francisco, California USA
• July 2011 - Compo Beach Mile Swim. Westport, Connecticut USA
• July 2011 - Greenwich Mile Swim. Greenwich, Connecticut USA
• July 2011 - Strait of Gibraltar – Relay – Single Crossing

2012 Swims

• June 2012 - Alcatraz Waterworld – Around the Rock Swim. San Francisco, California, USA
• August 2012 - North Channel, Ireland – 3 Man Relay – Single Crossing – 10:18 – Fastest relay crossing ever.

2013 Swims

• June 2013 - Alcatraz Sharkfest Swim. San Francisco, California USA
• June 2013 - Madison Mile Swim. Madison, Connecticut USA
• July 2013 - Compo Beach Mile Swim. Westport, Connecticut USA
• July 2013 - Greenwich Mile Swim. Greenwich, Connecticut USA
• September 2013 - Tsugaru Channel, Japan
• September 2013 - Molokai Channel, Molokai-Oahu

2014 Swims

• September 2014 - Catalina Channel (CM), California, USA

2015 Swim

• January 2015 - Cook Strait, [[North Island]-to-South Island

Tsugaru Channel Relay

Video of Chris Kraus, Rick Gaenzle and Brian Ross relay crossing of the Tsugaru Channel courtesy of Masayuki Moriya of Ocean-navi and the Tsugaru Channel Swimming Association

External links

• Trio Tackles North Channel Soon Upon Arrival
• Open Water Swimming
• World Open Water Swimming Association
• Connecticut Mermen On Their Way To The Oceans Seven
• Tackling The Tsugaru
• Challenging The Oceans Seven In Asia
• Luci Can Help Across The Tsugaru Channel
• Oceans Seven Relay Style
• The Water Looks So Calm
• Connecticut Trio Makes It Five-for-Five
• Oceans Seven, Team-Style
• Tandem Times Two Triumphant
• 6 Down, 1 To Go For The First Oceans Seven Relay
• Over Halfway To An Historic Oceans Seven
• Gaenzle, Kraus, Ross Complete An Historic Oceans Seven
• Wexford Masters Club Is Nearly Halfway There
• Challenging Channel Crossings With Michael Twigg-Smith
• Michael Twigg-Smith On Molokai Channel Crossings