
Swim Roots - Open Water Swimming
swimwildwales
Show overview
Swim Roots - Open Water Swimming launched in 2024 and has put out 4 episodes in the time since. That works out to roughly 4 hours of audio in total. Releases follow an irregular cadence.
Episodes typically run an hour to ninety minutes — most land between 42 min and 1h 15m — though episode length varies meaningfully from one episode to the next. It is catalogued as a EN-language Sports show.
The catalogue appears to be on hiatus or wound down — the most recent episode landed 1.3 years ago, with no new episodes in over a year. Published by swimwildwales.
From the publisher
Welcome to SWIM ROOTS. Hosts Bryce Davies and Nicky Young share stories from the people who define the Culture of Open Water swimming. Athletes. Rebels. Dippers. Risk takers. Lifeguards. Adventurers. Pioneers. Community leaders. Pirates. We explore the Drive and Passion that draws each of us to the water, and celebrate the diversity of community. Misfits who share a calling.
Latest Episodes

Ep 4Cath Pendleton - The Merthyr Mermaid
Bryce and Nick sit down with the World Record holding, Ice swimming legend and Welsh open-water swimming hero, Cath Pendleton aka The Merthyr Mermaid. Cath first gained widespread notoriety when she became the first person to swim an Ice mile in Antartica, a feat that was documented on BBC during the Covid Pandemic, and in turn helped inspire thousands of people to experience cold water swimming for themselves. Cath opens up to us about her early years, mental struggles, and the pursuit of her passions. Swim Roots at its finest. Enjoy :) Cover photo credit - James Pontin

Ep 3Are we there yet? Channel swimming with Tom Chapman
Ever wanted learn more about the dark arts of long-distance Channel swimming? In Swim Roots Episode 3, we sit down with the Guinness world record holding, channel swimming legend that is Tom Chapman. Hosts Bryce and Nick dive into the secrets and mindset of a man who has multiple channel swims under his belt in both the English, North, and Bristol Channel, and discuss everything from success to failure, budgie smuggling, channel swimming politics, how to eat during 16hr swims, and 3D bum-propellors!

Ep 2The Dawnstalkers
Bryce and Nick sit down with Grant Gzehtmayr of the infamous Dawnstalkers from Penarth, South Wales. We talk House fires, Addiction, Mental health, Dopamine and Dipping. The Dawnstalkers are an outdoor swimming community that attract hundreds to the Seafront daily, connecting and motivating each other through the hunt for that daily dose of endorphins. Self-described as a posse of Pirates, Misfits and Mermaids... they have a commanding presence in the South Wales swim community, and have helped provide an outlet for expression and support to many people. Enjoy.

Ep 1Introducing Swim Roots
The start of a new journey. Swim Roots. Join co-hosts Bryce Davies and Nicky Young as they take you on a tour of all things Open Water Swimming with a brand new Podcast series. We will be taking a look at the Individuals and Groups that identify as Open Water Swimmers, Dippers, Athletes, Adventurers and Pirates, and speaking to inspirational people from within our diverse community. Please join us on this new journey, and get in touch with your stories. We'd love to hear from you.