Nineteen swimming enthusiasts took part in a 5-kilometer swim across the Haitan Strait in Pingtan county, Fujian province, on August 25, and all of the participants managed to finish the event.

The participants - members of the Pingtan Swimming Association and the Fuzhou Winter Swimming Association - set out from Xiaoshandong dock at 7 am and reached Nianggong dock on Haitan Island after about one and a half hours.

The participants had to tackle the currents, which forced them to stop and take a break in a boat on one occasion.

Yang Zhen, director of the Fuzhou Winter Swimming Association, said that some of the swimmers had already swum across the strait to test the waters, meaning that they actually completed the route twice within 20 hours.

Yang, 61, said that they organize the event due to their love of swimming, and that several of the members are aged 65 and over.

"We all have a heart that refuses to get old," he said.

He added that the event is expected to become a regular one - with the aim of boosting communication between swimmers from Pingtan, Fuzhou and Taiwan - and he also hopes to increase awareness of issues concerning the environment.

Yang said that they have "strong feelings" about the beaches and sea at Pingtan, and that several of the swimmers are volunteer cleaners at the beach. He added that they hope they will be able to protect the beauty of the area.

Edited by Chen Zhilin and Niva Whyman