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Marmi could probably swim to save himself from an attack. But he’s been lucky so far. People who swim in open water are also battling with nature.

Marmi prepares himself meticulously. He wants to cross the mountain lake and emulate the people who have broken numerous records. Swiss swimmers are among the best in the “open water swimming” discipline. The most popular stretch is probably the English Channel crossing, first managed by an English captain in 1875. Romano Mombelli from Solothurn took almost twelve hours to cover the 44 kilometres between England and France. The Ocean's Seven challenge, which is to swim across the world’s most dangerous straits, is one of the biggest challenges for the strongest of swimmers.

The longest distance ever swum by a woman is 177 kilometres in 53 hours. By comparison, the 10-kilometre swimming marathon, an Olympic discipline for extreme swimmers, is a piece of cake.

However, the swimmers are not left entirely alone: they are accompanied by a dinghy. And they have protective equipment such as a floating buoy that you pull behind you, a swimming cap in bright colours, a neoprene suit for buoyancy and warmth, and a whistle. Also needed is a good swimming technique and a great deal of stamina. To begin with, it’s safer to swim parallel to the shore. Changing your swimming style as you go is recommended. There are numerous swimming events in open waters to help you perfect your skills.

Marmi has no concerns about going into the water. There are no jellyfish or sharks in the mountain lake. It’s much more dangerous in the sea, which is why open water swimmers should never go out on their own. Marmi drops into the water and starts swimming.