Nathalie Pohl swims Rhine and Main to highlight declining swimming skills in German children

Nathalie Pohl, the first German woman to conquer the Ocean's Seven challenge of swimming seven major sea straits, has undertaken a new initiative closer to home. Last week, she swam up the Rhine and Main rivers to draw attention to a concerning trend: German children are increasingly struggling to learn how to swim.

Pohl, 31, described the challenges of her recent river swim, noting that the low water levels required a change to a boat with a shallower draft. While the riverbed was visible in places, it was not as problematic as anticipated. However, she highlighted that the water quality presented a more significant issue during her journey.

Her swim serves as a public demonstration of the need to address swimming education in Germany. The initiative underscores concerns that basic water safety skills are diminishing among the younger generation, a situation Pohl aims to highlight through her high-profile athletic achievements.

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We had to change the accompanying boat beforehand, take one with less draft. But otherwise, we got through well. Here and there you could see the bottom, but it wasn't as bad as I had feared. The poor water quality was worse.