Gotham Native Aims for Mermaid Crown
A brave swimmer from New York is gearing up for a challenging swim in the shark-filled waters of the British Channel, a distance of 21 miles. It’s a noteworthy endeavor and shows the adventurous spirit of this city.
“I cry. I often cry at the end of my swims, but it’s a happy kind of cry. Not because I’m worn out, but because I’m just so grateful,” said Water Wonder Fleursotz, a 47-year-old marketing director at a software analytics firm.
Fleursotz, originally from Brooklyn and now living in Manhattan, is set to dive into the waters on August 29th, accompanied by a dedicated kayaker for support.
The distance she plans to swim is similar to walking from Coney Island’s Luna Park through Manhattan to the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx. It’s quite a trek.
She estimates the swim could take anywhere from 12 to 16 hours and won’t allow her any wetsuit, kayaks, or even escapes from the chilly waters, which hover around 69 degrees. It could get intense—especially with the chance of encountering marine life, including sharks; she faced that challenge before during a night swim off San Francisco.
“One of the biggest moments for me was in Manhattan. A shark bumped into me, and I didn’t even realize it until later,” recollected Sotz. “I thought a bottle hit me! Then it dawned on me, and I just kept swimming.”
Completing the English Channel swim would mark her achievement of the open water swimming triple crown—an impressive feat that includes the Catalina Channel and her prior swim around Manhattan. Only 366 people globally have completed this crown, with fewer than half being women.
Interestingly, her birthday aligns with the historic day Gertrude Caroline Ederle became the first woman to swim the British Channel, making it feel almost fated.
Swimming has always been part of Fleursotz’s life. Raised in Manhattan Beach, she trained at Midwood High School and worked as a lifeguard. After a temporary hiatus from sports during her Division 1 competition at the University of Massachusetts, she returned with a renewed passion for long-distance swimming.
Beginning her triple crown journey in 2021, she swam around 28.5 miles in Manhattan, undeterred by worries over pollution. “It was enormous for me—swimming under the Brooklyn Bridge, taking it all in,” she said.
Being a passionate Yankees fan, she even cheered for her team while swimming past Yankee Stadium, joking about how they could hear her cheering underwater.
To prepare for her upcoming swim, Sotz maintains her training at Brighton Beach and often joins teams at the Asphalt Green sports facility on the Upper East Side.
Her record-breaking journey also supports a fitness initiative, having raised over $23,000. She hopes to double that before she plunges into the channel waters.
Sotz reflects on inspiring others, especially those from areas where opportunities may be limited. “I think it’s amazing when kids see what they’re capable of,” she says, focusing on the excitement and possibilities swimming can bring.
