Polish swimmer Maciek Rutkowski officially broke the time record for swimming across the Baltic Sea between Sweden and Poland. He completed the 227-kilometer journey on September 18, 2025, in eight hours and 28 minutes, crossing the sea in a little under nine hours.
Guinness World Records officially awarded the Baltic Sea crossing record to Rutkowski on Wednesday, August 5, more than ten months after his achievement. The windsurfer can now celebrate after waiting nearly a year for official confirmation of his performance.
Weather Conditions and Related Achievements
During his voyage across the Baltic Sea, Rutkowski had to battle challenging conditions, including waves reaching up to three meters high. He also faced strong winds that reached speeds of up to 60 km/h at times.
The official recognition of his performance arrived during the same week that Guinness World Records recognized 97-year-old Elizabeth Bromage. Bromage entered the record book for the second time by walking on the wings of an airplane in flight, erasing her previous record set four years earlier. Bromage said she would be bored otherwise.
