Benoit Lecomte Plans Stage Swim Across The Pacific

LOS ANGELES, California, November 16. HOW technology dramatically changes things – and can bring the world's open water swimming community closer.

Back in 1998, Benoit Lecomte took 73 days to complete his continuous stage swim across the Atlantic Ocean. 2 months and 2 weeks after leaving Massachusetts, he swam and drifted 3,716 miles to the French shore of Quiberon.

Lecomte was singularly focused on crossing the Atlantic Ocean in order to raise money for cancer research as a tribute to his father. Now in 2012, he is planning to significantly raise the bar during a continuous stage swim from Japan to California.

As the physical, psychological and logistic bar is raised, the means to communicate and connect with supporters and Internet-connected gawkers around the world is significantly improved. While Lecomte was featured on The Discovery Channel, The Oprah Winfrey Show, TLC, CNN, ABC News, CBS News, MSNBC, Fox News, USA Today, People Magazine, and other media for his 1998 Atlantic traversée, he is now going to intimately connect and communicate with other swimmers around the world during his 2012 attempt in the Pacific Ocean.

Constant interactive communication is the key. He will use the latest technologies available. Through telemedicine, his vital signs will be monitored by doctors onshore thousands of miles away via the microchips. The microchips are inserted under his skin and will be monitored by physicians as a safety precaution.

Lecomte will be able to stay connected with people on land throughout the estimated five months on the high seas. He will be able to talk to fans while swimming using special communication devices. Using augmented reality, Internet users will be able to swim along with him and see for themselves what it is like to swim in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

Unlike 1998 when it was him swimming, drifting and sleeping across the Atlantic Ocean, Lecomte will now have the benefit of being entertained during his marathon swim across the Pacific. He will use special video eye wear that will enable him to see a computer screen and watch movies while slowly traversing across the largest body of water on the planet.

A documentary series about the 5,500-mile adventure is being developed by Emmy Award winning producer, Doug Stanley who produced Discovery Channel's "Deadliest Catch".

The adventure will start April 14, 2012.

Copyright © 2011 by Open Water Source

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