Get Event Ready with Vassos Alexander

Get ready for the Great North Swim

The Great North Swim is one of the most iconic and popular open water swimming events in the world.

This year, it takes place from 12 to 14 June.

With swims from 250m to 10km, there's a distance for everyone. In addition, there's the fabulous Great North Swimrun, which includes a spectacular swim across Windermere.

We're delighted to host runner, swimmer and sports presenter Vassos Alexander on Zoom to help plan your event training and preparation and what to expect on the day.

Vassos did the 1-mile swim at last year's Great North and will be returning for more in 2026.

This event is sponsored by the Great North Swim.

About Vassos

As well as being a keen swimmer, Vassos Alexander is also one of the best-known sports presenters in the UK. Over the past couple of years, he's been training for an English Channel solo crossing. While he didn't succeed in his first attempt, his efforts resulted in his third book, Swimmingly: Adventures in Water.

Until recently, he was a presenter on The Chris Evans Breakfast Show on Virgin Radio and has commentated on everything from tennis to diving. Vassos is also a seasoned endurance runner with a sub-3hr marathon PB, has completed some of the longest and most gruelling races on earth and published two bestselling running books.

Image: Vassos with Outdoor Swimmer founder Simon Griffiths

The event will be hosted by Simon Griffiths from the Outdoor Swimmer team.

Simon Griffiths is the founder of Outdoor Swimmer magazine, the author of Swim Wild and Free: A Practical Guide to Swimming Outdoors 365 Days a Year and the creator of the Renaissance Swimmer project. He is a lifelong swimmer, swims year-round in the Thames and regularly takes part in open water and pool races. His swimming adventures have taken him around the world. He was also part of the team that created the STA Open Water Swimming Coaching qualification. His mission is to help as many people as possible discover the joys and benefits of swimming in natural waters.