The Brogan Open Water Classic is an open water swimming event currently organized by Chuck Beatty, held annually in Cleveland, Ohio with half-mile, 1-mile and 2-mile open water swims.
Its origins began in 1990 when Marianne and Doug Brogan attended the 1989 United States Aquatic Convention in Portland, Oregon. Inspired by the people they met and the events they heard about, the husband-and-wife team returend home with the idea that O*H*I*O Masters Swim Club could host an open water swimming event in Lake Erie.
The inaugural event – named the Lake Erie Open Water Classic – was held in 1990 at Edgewater Beach in Cleveland, which has remained the event location ever since.
Over the years, the O*H*I*O Masters event has hosted a USMS Open Water National Championship event several times: the 1-mile Championships in 1994 and 2006, and the 2-mile Championships in 1999 and 2002, and co-hosted the 2014 International Gay Games.
The Brogan team served as the event directors in 1990 and 1991. Doug continued to assist Maureen Koss served as the event director until 1999. Then, he took over the reins between 2000 and 2004 before handing off in succession to Todd Urban (2005), Thomas Spence (2006-2014), Beth Katterle (2015 through 2017), and Chuck Beatty (2018 to 2024).
Marianne sadly passed away in August 2016. Beatty writes, “Marianne led a life that was focused on healthy living and an active lifestyle. Giving back to the community was an important tenet of her life, as shown by her participation in raising funds for charities that focused on the needs of children.
She was employed by the YMCA for 20 years and held a position on the Advisory Board for the Aquatic Exercise Association. She was the first instructor to be certified by the Arthritis Foundation and won the Lifetime Achievement Award in Aquatic Fitness. After retirement from the YWCA she was co-owner with Kathy Plescia of All Around Fitness.
Her swimming career included membership with O*H*I*O Masters for over 40 years. She served on many committees, including the fitness committee for USMS where she was awarded the Fitness Committee Award at the National Convention. Her swimming accomplishments included 10 individual USMS National Championships and 5th place in the 5 km swim at the FINA Masters World Championships.
Doug served on numerous USMS national committees including the Long Distance Committee (2000 – 2004), Insurance Committee (1990 – 1993), Finance Committee (1990 – 1991), and Fitness Education Committee (1990 – 1991), and received the 2005 U.S. Masters Swimming Fitness Award. Additionally, Marianne and Doug served as co-directors of the 30 Minute Swim that challenges swimmers to swim for 30 continuous minutes, offering an alternative to the One Hour Postal event for swimmers preparing to step up to that challenge.
After Marianne passed away in 2016, she and Doug were honored and recognized for their contributions to open water swimming in Lake Erie, so the name of the event was changed from the Lake Erie Open Water Classic to the Brogan Open Water Classic.
For more information and to register, visit Brogan Open Water Classic.
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