Simon Holliday

From Openwaterpedia
Simon Holliday pioneered the first 65 km circumnavigation swim around Lantau Island in 21 hours 28 minutes on 21 November 2025
Simon Holliday about to embark on his 45 circumnavigation swim around Hong Kong Island, completed in 12 hours 32 minutes on 9 November 2017
Simon Holliday finishing his 35 km, 10 hour 20 minute marathon swim across the Pearl River Delta from Hong Kong to Macau on 24 May 2014
Simon Holliday is producing The Seven Swims
The Seven Swims - Escape from Hong Kong is part of the documentary film series The Seven Swims
The Seven Swims - John Fitzgerald Kennedy in The Solomon Islands is part of the documentary film series The Seven Swims
The Seven Swims - Waterman: searching for Duke Kahanamoku is part of the documentary film series The Seven Swims
The Seven Swims - Strokes of the Samurai is part of the documentary film series The Seven Swims
The Seven Swims - Stories of Survival is a documentary film series produced by Simon Holliday
The Greatest Rescue is part of the documentary film series The Seven Swims produced by Simon Holliday
The Seven Swims - Cold War Crossing - Lynne Cox's swim across Bering Straits is part of the documentary film series The Seven Swims
Simon Holliday swimming across the Pearl River Delta from Hong Kong to Macau in 10 hours 20 minutes on 24 May 2014 during his 35 km Clean Cross Swim
Simon Holliday swimming across the Pearl River Delta from Hong Kong to Macau together with Chinese white dolphins on 24 May 2014 during the 35 km Clean Cross Swim. Photo by Jeffrey Lim.

Simon Holliday is a British open water swimmer, coach, and documentary filmmaker based in Hong Kong who serves as a Marathon Swimming Mentor and Chief Development Officer of The Splash Foundation.

Open Water Swimming Highlights

• On 20 November 2025, he completed the first 65 km circumnavigation swim around Lantau Island in 21 hours 28 minutes at the age of 46. • He is producing a documentary film series called The Seven Swims including Escape from Hong Kong, Swimming of the Samurai, Sending Out an S.O.S., The Cold War Swim, Swimming with sharks - an uncomfortable co-existence, The Water Kingdom - Mao's swim across the Yangtze River, Waterman: searching for Duke Kahanamoku, and Volcanoes, earthquakes & tidal waves, beginning in 2024.
• On 9 November 2017, he swam 45 km circumnavigation swim around Hong Kong Island in 12 hours 32 minutes, raising over US$140,000 for Splash Foundation. He was the first man to swim around Hong Kong Island. HK360 Swim broke the existing record with escort pilot Ross Vickers, coach Henry-Thomas Wright, coordinator Shu Pu and girlfriend Maggie Dou.
• On 24 May 2014, he completed 30 km crossing from Hong Kong to Macau in 10 hours 20 minutes, raising over US$25,000 for the Ocean Recovery Alliance. He was the second individual to complete this swim from Hong Kong to Macau. The Clean Cross - Hong Kong to Macau Swim 2014 where he was Walkerized with pink dolphins. He broke the existing record by 15 minutes.
• On 12 August 2011, he completed a 33.5 km crossing of the English Channel from England to France in 15 hours 2 minutes 15 seconds.
• In 2019, he was named one of the World's 50 Most Adventurous Open Water Men by the World Open Water Swimming Association.
• In early August 2019, he competed in the FINA World Masters Championships in Gwangju, South Korea swimming in the 800m, 400m and 200m freestyle events.
• He has taken part in numerous swimming races across Asia, and throughout Ireland and the United Kingdom.
• Along with Libby Alexander, he founded Splash Foundation, Hong Kong’s only charitable organisation providing swimming lessons to thousands of adults and young people from low-income and marginalised communities. As of 2020, they have taught nearly 3,000 people how to swim.
• On 11 October 2014, he completed the 15 km Clean Half Extreme Marathon Swim in Hong Kong in 5 hours 38 minutes 16 seconds.
• On 10 October 2015, he completed the 15 km Clean Half Extreme Marathon Swim in Hong Kong in 4 hours 43 minutes 34 seconds.
• He was scheduled to serve as the Pace swimmer, decoy, bodyguard, and escort for Dan Martin on his Atlantic Ocean swim leg of the Global Triathlon.
• He was the protagonist of the 19-minute documentary film called The Clean Cross.
• He finished 3rd in the 15 km Cold Half Extreme Marathon Swim in Hong Kong (naturally ocean division) on 21 January 2019.
• He finished 6th in the 15 km Cold Half Extreme Swim around Hong Kong Island in 2021.

Published Articles

Holliday has written about swimming history for the South China Morning Post, Outdoor Swimmer Magazine and the World Open Water Swimming Association.

• The burkini-clad swimmers of Hong Kong: domestic helpers get freedom to swim
• Hong Kong’s domestic helpers and marginalised standing tall in the pool
• How Rat won the swimming race to become the first sign of the Chinese Zodiac
• Swimming for freedom – Simon Holliday meets Mrs Chu who swam to Hong Kong for a new life

Videos


HK360 Swim (Scubazoo)

The Clean Cross (Scubazoo)

Intro to Splash Foundation (Scubazoo)

External Links

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