Captain Webb’s successful English Channel crossing and Gertrude Ederle’s solo make 1875 and 1926 maybe the two greatest years ever.

But for this generation of open water and marathon swimmers, operating under Channel rules, 2012 is going to be really exiting and probably astonishing.

Some of the events on the list:

• Penny Palfrey‘s North Channel attempt in August to be the first person to complete the Ocean’s Seven.

• Stephen Redmond‘s continuing pursuit also of the Ocean’s Seven.

• Penny Palfrey’s Cuba to Florida swim in June.

• Dan Martin’s Global Triathlon, starting with a real swim of the Atlantic.

• After 2011’s little known failed attempt, the Bering Sea Relay.

• The 2012 Olympic Open Water 5 & 10k event which will once more bring open water swimming to a wider world.

• And from a personal point of view, I will have friends swimming many marathon swims including the English Channel, Jersey, Rottnest, Catalina, Zurich, Windermere, MIMS, and more. (I might even swim something myself).

And that’s not the whole list. Many of you will be aware of other swims not yet spoken of publicly.

What an exciting year 2012 promises to be!