Endurance swimmer Lewis Pugh believes he can break the political deadlock that has stymied the protection of the Southern Ocean after completing a series of epic swims off the coast of Antarctica. But Pugh says by stripping down to his swimming trunks and confronting the extremes of human endurance he has captured the imagination of Russia’s people and its politicians, opening up a dialogue that could pave the way for the largest ocean sanctuary on Earth. It’s what he calls ‘Speedo diplomacy’.