The Alpine Seven · Bernhard Hengl
The Alpine Seven began with my cancer. Today I swim for everyone life has pulled the ground out from under, and who is ready to swim again.
Every lake is proof that you get further than you think.
lakes crossed
swum so far
next: summer 2027
of donations to NF Kinder
Next crossing · 6 of 7
70 km, non-stop, without a wetsuit. August/September 2027. The longest swim of The Alpine Seven so far.
Why I swim
In March 2016 I was diagnosed with cancer. Within weeks, the body that had won nine national water polo titles could barely walk 500 metres. During chemotherapy I set myself a goal: my tenth national title. The odds were about 5 %. In June 2017 we won it as a team.
That is where my principle comes from. You don’t need to be back at full strength. 5 % is enough for the first stroke.
The Alpine Seven started as a way to raise awareness for people living with an illness. Today I swim for everyone whose ground has gone and who doesn’t know yet where to swim. There are no medals for these crossings, and it’s not about records. Each lake shows that with a goal and one stroke at a time, you get further than you think.
The seven crossings
The freshwater counterpart to the Ocean Seven: complete crossings of the great Alpine lakes in Austria, Germany, Switzerland and Italy. Non-stop, without a wetsuit.
1 / 7 · Completed
Austria · 19 km · 6:33 h
20 June 2025
Elbow pain from hour three. Kept going.
2 / 7 · Completed
Austria/Germany · 65 km · 25:55 h
11–12 July 2025
First Austrian, 6th person ever.
3 / 7 · Completed
Austria · 17 km · 5:14 h
6 September 2025
A week of gastroenteritis before. Started anyway.
4 / 7 · Completed
Italy/Switzerland · 61.5 km · 22:09 h
26–27 June 2026
First Austrian, 3rd person ever.
5 / 7 · Completed
Switzerland · 32.4 km · 9:50 h
12 September 2026
Küssnacht to Flüelen.
6 / 7 · Next
Switzerland · 70 km
August/September 2027
The longest one yet.
7 / 7 · 2028
Italy · 59 km
August/September 2028
Riva del Garda to Peschiera.
Swim with me · 21 Aug 2027
One day a year, everyone swims their own kilometres, wherever they are. Pool, lake or sea. For NF Kinder.
Every kilometre counts
NF Kinder is a patient organisation run by people affected by neurofibromatosis, for people affected. They support children with NF and their families in Austria. 100 % of all donations go directly to them.
Auf Deutsch weiter
Wenn dir das Leben den Boden unter den Füßen weggezogen hat und du bereit bist, wieder loszuschwimmen: Komm auf den Steg, meine kostenlose Community. Oder mach den ersten Zug mit meinem 30-Tage-Audioprogramm.
Stay in touch
English · weekly
Open water, goals and the first stroke after a hard time. Plus updates from The Alpine Seven.
Deutsch · jeden Samstag
Für Menschen, denen das Leben den Boden weggezogen hat. Ehrlich, mit einem Augenzwinkern.
Keynotes · EN / DE
Keynotes for companies and events about goals, the 5 % and what open water teaches about getting up again.
