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Colin MacLeod

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Colin Macleod underwater
Leg tattoo.jpg
St Kilda

Colin Macleod is a Scottish open water swimmer and endurance athlete who lives on the Isle of Lewis in the Western Isles of Scotland.

Open Water Swimming Highlights

  • He was nominated for the 2017 Wild Swimmer of the Year by the The Wild Swimming Brothers.
  • He was part of the 30-mile Little_Minch_Swim team that in Summer 2011 attempted to swim from Rodel, Isle of Harris to Waternish Point, Isle of Skye and back again to raise money for Cancer Research UK. The Little_Minch_Swim was the first sea swim the team had attempted and with over half the team coming down with sea sickness and a force 6 forecast coming in, the decision was made to abandon the swim and head back to Harris on the boat. Although it was a failed attempt, the team learned a lot and still managed to raise over £6,000 for Cancer Research UK.
  • He teamed up with work mate Callum Maclean to raise money for The Leanne Fund with 2 sea swims planned for the same day, the Island of Scarp and The Island of Taransay. Both islands are famous, Scarp for The Rocket Post and Taransay for Castaway. Unfortunately, the weather stopped the second swim happening on the same day, but Callum and Colin did go back the next month to finish off the Taransay swim, thus completing the Scaransay double.
  • He was part of the Big Minch Swim on 24-25 June 2012. MacLeod was part of 8 swimmers supported by 3 kayakers and the crew of the Mv Cuma who swam an open water swimming relay with 45-minute legs from Ullapool to Stornoway in aid of the R.N.L.I. to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the Stornoway Lifeboat. The Big Minch Swim was a 48.9 nautical miles marathon swimming relay swum in 34 hours across one of the wildest channels in the United Kingdom. As a follow-up to the Big Minch Swim, the team planned a relay swim to St Kilda in 2014.
  • He completed two sea swims within 24 hours of each other on 15 June 2013 and 16 June 2013 as part of an Inter Island collaborative challenge. The first Swim was the sound of Barra and the second Swim was the Sound of Harris, both in the Western Isles of Scotland. Between the group they raised £3602.50 for The Leanne Fund. Media articles, route information and video's can been seen through the external links below.
  • On 25 April 2014, he as part of the 'Men on a Mission' challenge, to raise funds for the Hebridean Men's Cancer Support Group. He swam from Husinis (Isle of Harris) to Mealasta (Uig, Isle of Lewis). 13.62 km (8.46 miles) in 3 hours 56 minutes. Donald Smith cycled the 75-mile road route from Mealasta to Husinis in 4 hours and 46 minutes. He was supported by his number one coach - wife Donna Macleod and SeaTrek. His swim route and a video of the swim are posted below in the external links.
  • During 28 June - 4 July 2014, 9 swimmers are swimming relay style from Horgabost, Isle of Harris to St.Kilda, the Dual World Heritage Site, a swim that was never attempted before. This was 60 miles through the North Atlantic Ocean. The swimmers were supported by 3 kayakers and a cabin cruiser. The Team swam to raise money for The Leanne Fund, The Fishermen's Mission and Yorkhill Children's Charity. stkildaswim.co.uk. Macleod was a member and team captain of the St Kilda Swim together with Christina Mackenzie, John Dyer, Ed Smith, Mark 'Doug' Maciver, Eilidh Whiteford, and Angus Murray who swam over 35 hours, finishing on 18 August 2015 on Hushinish, Isle of Harris after starting on St. Kilda. The swimmers were supported by 3 kayakers and a cabin cruiser piloted by Murdo Macdonald as they swam 60 miles through the North Atlantic Ocean on this unprecedented adventure, together with Murdo 'Murdanie' Macdonald (boat pilot) and kayakers Allan Macdonald, PJ Maclachlan, and Dave Clement. The St. Kilda Swim raised £21,505 for The Leanne Fund, The Fishermen's Mission, Yorkhill Children's Charity & Aberlour Child Care Trust.
  • Macleod attempted during the summer of 2011, a 30-mile Little Minch Swim together with Saul Hindson, Chris Baker, Rodney Jamieson, Fraser Millar, Andrew Johnson, and Tariq Hussain. They were supported by kayakers PJ Maclachlan and Mark Stokes along with Kenneth Macarthur (Rib) and Alastair Macinnes (support boat). The swim was never completed due to a Force 6 winds forecast.
  • He attempted a 37.3 km crossing of the North Minch from the Isle of Lewis to the Scottish mainland, but did not finish in July 2018.

Travels with my Camera

He started filming some swims around the Western Isles of Scotland

External links

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