She is a senior manager at her company, Mum to 4 kids
…and, in her spare time
She trains for the extraordinary…

Meet Jo

Joanne Norman grew up in Geraldton, Western Australia, and has spent the last 16 years calling the UAE home. She is one of only 43 people in history to complete the Oceans Seven, the world’s most demanding collection of channel crossings. She did it quietly, across five years, balancing her professional and personal life demonstrating that ordinary people can achieve the extraordinary.

Her Molokai crossing tells you everything you need to know about her. Seventeen kilometres from the finish, a shark encounter forced her out of the water. Most people would have called that the end of the story. Joanne came back, got back in, and finished. That kind of resilience is not something you train for. Courage and bravery are what it took to return to Molokai to complete the Oceans Seven.

Read Jo’s Story

From the Water

Catalina Channel Crossing – Triple Crown Complete

Catalina Channel crossing marked a significant milestone in my marathon swimming journey. It was my final swim to complete the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming, following the earlier completion of both the English Channel and circumnavigation of Manhattan. It was also my third of seven channel swims, bringing me one step closer to joining the small group of swimmers who have completed the world’s…

Tsugaru Strait

Tsugaru Strait is, in my view, one of the two toughest swims in the Oceans Seven challenge. Not because of…

Molokai Channel

Molokai turned out to be my curse for the seven! First trip in July 2024 I was weathered out although…

Cook Strait New Zealand

Channel number 4 and I was heading down under. Slots for Cook Strait, like a number of other channel crossings,…

120km

Open Gulf waters

30 – 40

Hours of swimming

November

2026

The next chapter
United by Water

In November 2026, Joanne Norman will be preparing for something no one has ever done. A 120km solo swim across open Gulf waters following recognised open water endurance conventions with only a swimsuit, cap and goggles.

It is a Guinness World Record eligible achievement, a national symbol of unity between the two Emirates, and the next logical step for someone who has spent five years proving she does not stop.

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Beyond the water

My ambition doesn’t end at the finish line. I’m building a community for swimmers who want to go further than they thought possible, a space where I share everything I’ve learned along the way: training and nutrition, swim logistics, goal setting, and how to build the village around you that makes the impossible feel within reach. You don’t need to have your sights set on the Oceans Seven. You just need a goal worth chasing and the courage to start.

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Follow Jo’s Journey