Born:  17 August 1964
Gender: Man
Country: Italy
Crossing Year: 2019
Time: Out Of Ranking (06 h 04 min 29 sec)
Neoprene swimsuit: YES

I started swimming in 2014 after practicing other sports. I have always done water sports such as freediving but, email swimming if not as a child from 6 to 8 years.
Thanks to my daughter Bianca, national triathlon champion, I approached this sport: every time I accompanied her to the pool to train she asked me why I didn’t keep her company in the water. From there I started and today, swimming is part of my daily life.
After starting, I had a further stimulus by finding a childhood friend who was a former swimming agonist and getting to know Alessandro Pilati (NAL). Alessandro follows my preparation remotely and has taught me the tools necessary to better face this sport, although objectively I can do better, my childhood friend has sent me his determination that I carry with me every time I face a race or workout.

I like swimming competitions a lot but, fundamental element are the places where they take place.
My first amateur race was the Strait of Messina Crossing, while the one I’m most fond of is the Bosphorus Crossing in Istanbul, which I’ve already participated in three times.
The Bocche di Bonifacio had been on the program for some time, now it has arrived!

(Francesco Barbesino, September 2019)