A Cape Town swimmer has broken an 18-year record for the swim across False Bay from Rooi Els Point to Miller's Point and become only the fourth person to have completed the 34-kilometre distance.
Barend Nortje, 33, finished in 9 hours and 17 minutes, breaking Belgian swimmer Annemie Landmeters's record of 9.56, set in 1989.
Nortje, who has swum the English Channel, braved difficult weather and the sharks of False Bay during the swim, said Peter Bales, chairperson of the Cape Long Distance Association.
He had been "waiting for weeks for suitable weather", Bales said.
"It was an outstanding swim - he was looking very good."
The swim has been attempted 20 times, with Landmeters being the first to complete it. The others were South African swimmer Steven Klugman in 2004 and Carina Bruwer, of Cape Town, last year.
Since 2004, the association has used the electronic Shark Shield, attached to the swimmer's support boat.