Rupali Repale

{{Short description|Indian swimmer and triathlete}}

{{Use Indian English|date=June 2013}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2016}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Rupali Repale

| image = File:Rupali Repale receiving National Adventure Award.jpg{{!}}border

| imagesize =

| alt = A woman receiving an award

| caption = Repale receiving National Adventure Award at the hands of Hon. Uma Bharti, New Delhi 1999.{{Cite web|url=http://pib.nic.in/archieve/phtgalry/pg0699/pg9ju99/0906994.html|title=Untitled Page}}

| occupation = {{flat list|

}}

| nationality = Indian

| birth_place = Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

| birth_date = {{birth date and age |df=yes|1982|2|3}}

| honorific_prefix = Sagar Kanya[http://mcomments.outlookindia.com/story.aspx?sid=4&aid=205437 Unknown]{{Dead link|date=February 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

| parents =

| relations = Vishal Hinge (Spouse), Swaraj Hinge (Son), Hindavi Hinge (daughter)

| website = {{url|http://www.rupaliaqua.com}}

}}

Rupali Ramdas Repale (born 3 February 1982 in Mumbai), is an Indian open-water long-distance swimmer and triathlete. She swam the English Channel in the solo swim category on 15 August 1994 {{Cite web|url=http://www.channelswimmingassociation.com/swim/2942/rupali-ramdas-repale/|title = Rupali Ramdas Repale 1994 | Channel Swimming Association}}{{Cite web | title=English Channel swim by Rupali Ramdas Repale on 15 August 1994 {{!}} Dover.UK.com | url=https://www.dover.uk.com/channel-swimming/swims/1994-08-15/rupali-ramdas-repale | access-date=2025-02-20 | website=www.dover.uk.com}} in a time span of 16 hours and 7 minutes, making her the youngest successful swimmer (12 years old) to cross the English Channel for the year 1994.{{Cite web|url=http://www.channelswimmingassociation.com/awards/?award=43&year=1994|title = CSA Awards | Channel Swimming Association}} She swam a total of seven straits during the course of her swimming career, Gibraltar Strait, Palk Strait, Bass Strait, Cook Strait,{{cite web |url=http://www.cookstraitswim.org.nz/history-and-facts.php |title=Cook Strait Swim - History |accessdate=2015-11-30 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208125301/http://www.cookstraitswim.org.nz/history-and-facts.php |archivedate=8 December 2015 |df=dmy-all }} Robben Island Channel and Mumbai-Dharamtar Channel.[http://www.thehindu.com/2000/03/25/stories/0725100c.htm Unknown]{{dead link|date=April 2021| fix-attempted=yes}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.outlookindia.com/magazine/story/water-nymph/205437|title = Water Nymph | Outlook India Magazine|date = 6 February 2022}}

Early life and background

Rupali Repale was born in Mumbai, the daughter of Ramdas Repale and Rekha Repale, who were small-scale business owners from a modest financial background. Born in rural Pune, both the parents moved to Mumbai city in 1970s shortly before their marriage and settled in Bhandup, a suburb of Mumbai. Rupali completed her schooling at Bright High School & Junior College Bhandup-(west) and went on to graduate with a degree in sociology from Mumbai University.{{Cite web |url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1050504/asp/careergraph/story_4694804.asp |title=The Telegraph - Calcutta : Careergraph |access-date=19 February 2016 |archive-date=3 July 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150703135918/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1050504/asp/careergraph/story_4694804.asp |url-status=dead }}

Rupali started swimming at an early age and soon developed a penchant for it. She showed remarkable stamina even at an early age and could swim for hours at a stretch. Noticed by her coaches and later backed by her father, she soon started training for long-distance events and later in the open waters. Apart from swimming, she also participates in Triathlon events and has achieved many accolades in it as well.{{Cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/I-win-them-all/articleshow/332795370.cms|title = 'I win them all' | Pune News - Times of India|website = The Times of India| date=8 April 2000 }}

Swimming career

  • 1994: English Channel, England to France, 34 kilometers in 16 hours and 7 minutes. Youngest Swimmer for the year 1994.
  • 1994: Gibraltar Strait, Spain to Morocco, 28 kilometers in 5 hours and 5 minutes.{{cite web |url=http://www.acneg.com/acneg%20ingles/One%20way.html |title=Cruce a Nado Ida Reglamentario |accessdate=2013-10-14 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131015073652/http://www.acneg.com/acneg%20ingles/One%20way.html |archivedate=15 October 2013 |df=dmy-all }}
  • 1995: Mumbai to Dharamtar two-way Gateway of India swim, 72 kilometers in 21 hours and 30 minutes.{{Cite web | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iegDAAAAMBAJ&q=rupali+repale+dharamtar&pg=PA449 | title=Competition Science Vision| last1=Darpan| first1=Pratiyogita| date=June 2000}}
  • 1995: Sri Lanka to India, 40 kilometers in 11 hours and 5 minutes.
  • 1996: Bass Strait, Phillip Bay to Melbourne, 65 kilometers in 17 hours, required swimming within the confines of a cage due to the shark-infested nature of the strait.
  • 1998: Cook Strait, Pegano Head to Waipiro Bay (New Zealand), 80 kilometers in 19 hours 44 minutes, record for the longest successful swim in first attempt{{Cite web|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/364994/Cook-Strait-swimming-record-smashed|title = Cook Strait swimming record smashed|date = 31 January 2009}}
  • 2000: Three Anchor Bay to Robben Island (South Africa) two-way. 30 kilometers in 7 hrs.{{Cite web| url=http://www.capeswim.com/#records | title=ape Long Distance | access-date=19 February 2016 | archive-date=6 March 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306122036/http://capeswim.com/#records | url-status=dead}}

Awards and honors

Present activities

Rupali is the founder and director of Rupali Industries, a water purification based home appliance company. In her spare time she likes to coach young talent at local swimming pools.{{citation needed|date=September 2018}}

Books on Rupali

  • Biographical book Jal Akramile (Marathi) written by Sumedh Vadavala and published by Rajhans Prakashans.{{Cite web |url=http://marathiboli.com/jal-akramile |title=Jal Akramile-जल आक्रमिले |access-date=19 February 2016 |archive-date=10 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191010044746/http://marathiboli.com/jal-akramile |url-status=dead }}
  • Excerpt from Rupali's book is included in the Maharashtra state school curriculum to encourage youth involvement in sports.{{Cite web | url=http://cart.ebalbharati.in/BalBooks/pdfs/701010001.pdf | title=Marathi Balbharti| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160407070914/http://cart.ebalbharati.in/BalBooks/pdfs/701010001.pdf | archive-date=7 April 2016 }}

References

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