Alain Brandeleer
Donate Now
Ocean Challenge 2025: Swimming for a Plastic-Free Future
👤 Alain Brandeleer – A life of challenges and commitment
I was born with an atrophy of my left hand. Very early on, I transformed this handicap into a strength, developing a will to surpass myself every day.
In 2012, my life took a drastic turn: while in Botswana, a five-meter crocodile attacked me and crushed my only valid arm. This event could have marked the end of my sporting life. It became a driving force for resilience.
Three years later, in 2015, I swam across the Strait of Gibraltar.
In 2023, I swam between Corsica and Sardinia.
Since then, I have dedicated part of my life to solidarity and humanitarian actions, particularly in favor of:
  • children with disabilities
  • healthcare workers (especially during the Covid crisis)
🌊 A meaningful challenge
In September 2025, for my 65th birthday, I will embark on a swimming crossing between Ibiza and Formentera, approximately 23 kilometers in the open sea.
This symbolic challenge aims to support a cause close to my heart:
the fight against plastic pollution in the oceans.
I am mobilizing for The Ocean Cleanup, a pioneering organization that develops innovative solutions to extract plastic waste from the world's oceans and rivers.
Today, as a long-distance swimmer, diver, and ocean lover, I wish to dedicate my energy to a global fight:
the protection of the oceans.
That is why I actively support The Ocean Cleanup, and I hope I can count on your support by my side in this unique challenge.
#The Challenge: An Extraordinary Crossing
🏊‍♂️ Swimming for the Ocean
Ibiza – Formentera Crossing | September 2025
A sporting, solidarity-based and ecological challenge
The crossing between Ibiza and Formentera represents a considerable nautical challenge that few swimmers dare to undertake. This 23-kilometer course in the open Mediterranean Sea will require approximately eight hours of continuous swimming, exposing Alain to marine currents, temperature variations, and the blue immensity separating these two Balearic islands.
Scheduled for September 6, 7 or 8, 2025 (depending on weather conditions), this crossing will have been meticulously prepared and will be supervised by a professional team ensuring Alain's safety throughout the journey. A support boat will follow his progress, providing medical monitoring, refueling, and assistance as needed.
This date is not chosen at random: it coincides with Alain's 65th birthday month, and he has decided to transform this personal milestone into a committed act for the planet. Rather than celebrating conventionally, he is mobilizing his energy and determination to draw attention to the environmental urgency threatening our oceans.
💡 Why support us?
  • Associate your image with an inspiring, ecological, and human project
  • Support a global cause with concrete and measurable impact
  • Highlight your CSR commitment through a visible campaign on social media and traditional media
23km
Distance
From coast to coast between the two islands
8h
Estimated Duration
Of continuous open water swimming
65
Birthday
A challenge to mark his 65th birthday
#An Extraordinary Man Behind the Challenge
1
Born with a Disability
Alain was born without the fingers of his left hand, a difference that never limited his determination but rather pushed him to constantly push his limits.
2
Botswana Survival
Having survived a crocodile attack during an expedition in Botswana, this event strengthened his determination to live life to the fullest and advocate for causes close to his heart.
3
Strait of Gibraltar (2015)
His first major international crossing, proving that physical obstacles do not define what he is capable of achieving.
4
Corsica-Sardinia (2023)
His latest crossing, consolidating his open water challenge experience and paving the way for the Ibiza-Formentera challenge.
Beyond his sporting achievements, Alain Brandeleer is a passionate diver who has witnessed firsthand the degradation of marine ecosystems, even in the most isolated areas. Aware of the environmental emergency, he has always combined passion and commitment, also supporting humanitarian causes.
This new challenge symbolizes the convergence between his love for open water and his desire to act for the planet. More than just an individual performance, it is a collective call to protect the oceans.
Every year, plastic pollution increases, marine ecosystems collapse, and species disappear. However, thanks to initiatives like The Ocean Cleanup, change is still possible. Supporting Alain means supporting this essential cause.
"I don't swim just to meet a personal challenge. I swim to draw attention to what we are doing to our oceans, and especially to what we can do to save them. Each stroke will be a reminder of the immensity of what we have to protect."
— Alain Brandeleer
#The Ocean Cleanup: An Innovative Solution
Founded in 2013 by the young Dutch inventor Boyan Slat, The Ocean Cleanup has become one of the most innovative and ambitious organizations in the fight against marine plastic pollution. Its mission is twofold: to clean the oceans of the plastics already floating there and to intercept waste in rivers before it reaches the seas.
1
Ocean System
Passive floating barriers several hundred meters long that use ocean currents to concentrate and collect plastics, especially in the "Great Pacific Garbage Patch," that gigantic accumulation zone of waste in the North Pacific.
2
River Interceptors
Autonomous platforms installed in the world's most polluting rivers, primarily in Asia and Latin America, which capture waste before it reaches the ocean. These systems are solar-powered and can extract several tons of waste per day.
3
Scientific Research
The organization conducts in-depth research on the distribution and composition of plastic waste, thus contributing to global scientific knowledge on this pollution and to the constant improvement of their cleaning technologies.
The Ocean Cleanup stands out for its technological and global approach. Rather than limiting itself to awareness or manual collection, the organization designs large-scale systems to efficiently capture plastic waste.
These technologies are continuously optimized using data collected in the field. The goal: to reduce ocean plastic pollution by 90% by 2040.
# The Urgency of Plastic Pollution
Each year, over 8 million tons of plastic pour into our oceans. This insidious pollution constitutes one of the gravest threats to marine ecosystems and, by extension, to the ecological balance of our entire planet.
The consequences of this pollution are multiple and devastating:
  • More than one million seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals die each year from ingesting or becoming entangled in plastic waste.
  • Microplastics, resulting from the degradation of larger waste, contaminate the entire marine food chain.
  • These particles are now present in human organisms, with health effects still largely unknown.
  • The concentration of plastic in certain ocean areas now exceeds that of plankton, the base of marine life.
  • If nothing is done, by 2050, the oceans could contain more plastic than fish by weight.
Faced with this alarming situation, initiatives like The Ocean Cleanup represent a concrete hope. Unlike other environmental issues, plastic pollution is a relatively recent phenomenon that we can still reverse through determined action and innovative technologies.
By supporting Alain Brandeleer's challenge, you directly contribute to this essential fight for the preservation of our most precious natural heritage: the oceans, source of life and regulators of the global climate.
# Become a Project Ambassador
Every action counts.
No matter the amount, every donation makes an impact. With just 10€, The Ocean Cleanup can remove the equivalent of over 1,000 plastic bags from the oceans. By supporting this challenge, you directly contribute to a cleaner ocean, one step at a time.
Want to get more involved?
We are also looking for main sponsors and committed partners, ready to support this project more significantly. Your company can thus associate its name with a concrete initiative, full of meaning and visibility.
Main Sponsor – 3,000€
Associate your brand with a strong and visible cause. Your logo will be prominently featured on all key materials, you'll gain media presence, and play a leading role in ocean protection.
Official Sponsors – 750€ (6 spots)
Join a circle of committed partners. Visibility on our secondary materials and social networks, with personalized thanks to highlight your contribution.
Ambassadors – from 100€
Individuals or companies, support the project in a significant way. Your name or logo will appear in a dedicated publication and you will receive a symbolic diploma for your commitment.
Amplified Visibility
Your name will appear on the official project page and on communication materials, demonstrating your commitment to this major environmental cause.
Privileged Information
Receive exclusive updates on Alain's preparation, the progress of The Ocean Cleanup, and the concrete impact of the funds collected.
Exclusive Draw
Automatically participate in a draw to win a one-week stay at Alain's villa in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt, a paradise for divers.
All funds raised for this challenge — whether from corporate sponsorship, partnerships, or individual donations — are entirely donated to The Ocean Cleanup, without any deductions. It was important to me that this initiative be completely selfless: every euro given will directly help develop and deploy concrete solutions against plastic pollution.
# The Concrete Impact of Your Donation
10€
0,6 football fields
Marine area cleaned thanks to this donation
50€
1000 bottles
Number of plastic bottles intercepted in rivers
100€
Ambassador
Status obtained and impact multiplied tenfold
As an ambassador, you will become an essential relay for disseminating information around you and amplifying the impact of this initiative. Your personal commitment will help raise awareness among more people about the urgency of the fight against ocean plastic pollution.
The ambassador status is not just an honorary title: it's a true alliance with Alain in this fight for the oceans. Each ambassador will receive a personalized digital certificate as well as access to a private group allowing direct exchanges with Alain and other project supporters.
# How to Support the Challenge
Make a Donation
Visit the official fundraising page to contribute to the project according to your means. Every euro counts and has a real impact on ocean cleanup.
Share the Initiative
Spread the word on your social networks and among your acquaintances. The more the message is shared, the greater the impact will be.
Become an Ambassador
With a donation of €100 or more, join the project's circle of ambassadors and enjoy exclusive benefits while amplifying your impact.
Making a donation couldn't be simpler: visit the project's official page hosted on The Ocean Cleanup website. This secure platform allows you to contribute in just a few clicks, with the option to automatically receive a tax receipt. Donations can be made by credit card, PayPal, or bank transfer.

Link to donate: fund.theoceancleanup.com
For more information on the impact of your donation: fund.theoceancleanup.com/your-impact
Every gesture counts in this collective effort to preserve our oceans and support Alain's extraordinary challenge.
In September 2025, when Alain sets off from the coast of Ibiza for his 23-kilometer crossing, he will carry with him the hope and support of an entire engaged community. Whether you are a donor, an ambassador, or simply an advocate for this initiative, you will be an integral part of this human and environmental adventure.
Time is running out for our oceans, but together, we can make a difference. Join the movement initiated by Alain today and contribute to a future where the seas will once again be free of plastic, where marine ecosystems can regenerate, and where future generations will inherit living and preserved oceans.