At the start of Day Two of the 2024 SCAR Swim Challenge in Arizona, near the dam at Canyon Lake, the 12.4°C (54.4°F) water was so tranquil that its surface was glassy. The towering walls of the lake’s canyon walls and the majestic saguaro catci were mirrored on the water’s surface.
But within one kilometer of the cold’ish start, the water quickly increased to over 20°C (68°F) as hypothermia concerns evaporated while the morning tranquility of the rugged wilderness continued.
Compared to the conditions and temperatures of Saguaro Lake on Day One, Day Two in Canyon Lake started colder…and ended rougher.
Swirling winds periodically burst through the narrow canyon walls, making forward progress by the escort kayakers difficult while throwing down an irritating carpet of surface chop faced by the 44 swimmers.
Logistics are always complicated between Day Two in Canyon Lake and Day Three in Apache Lake, but this year the logistics were especially challenging due to the road closures at Apache Lake.
But race director Kent Nicholas and his volunteer race crew – with its ever-present Brad Lundblad – made the requisite logistics accommodations and schedule changes to get 44 swimmers and their escort kayakers in and out of Canyon Lake and over to Apache Lake in time. It certainly was not easy, but Nicholas’ fast-thinking and fast actions made it work.
Results to be posted later tonight.
Day Three is – as some say in the American Southwest – the big enchilada. The 22.8 km dam-to-dam crossing of Apache Lake is, quite simply, tough. Winds are a given: oncoming an lateral, but throughout the crossing, the swimmers and their escort kayakers are treated to some pretty dramatic landscapes.
30-year-old Nikko Price from New York and 15-year-old Lorelei Schmidt from North Carolina were the fastest man and woman on both Day One and Day Two with the top 6 swimmers finishing in the same position on both days.
Canyon Lake Finishers – to be posted
- Nikko Price, New York 3:19:48.6
- Jay Eckert, Florida 3:23:48.9
- David McGlynn, Wisconsin 3:37:29.7
- Steve Leitch, South Carolina 3:38:00.3
- Lorelei Schmidt, North Carolina 3:41:31.4
- Taylor Stallings-Pinnick, Florida 3:42:47.0
- MackenzieThomas 3:44:42.2
- James McDonald, California 3:46:39.4
- Allison Crush, Tennessee 3:47:00.0
- Emily Lane, Colorado 3:55:36.6
- Eric Kinney, California 4:01:07.9
- Erica S. Esterly, Arizona 4:03:49.2
- Malena Hankins, Georgia 4:04:26.1
- Mike Gregory, Australia 4:15:37.8
- Grabiela Rojas Molina, Venezuela 4:16:13.9
- Madison Carioty, Arizona 4:20:06.2
- Mary Singer, Washington 4:25:58.6
- Antonio Argüelles, Mexico 4:26:00.4
- Lars Durban, Washington 4:27:26.6
- Eric Durban, Washington 4:27:27.2
- Sara Stevenson, South Carolina 4:29:01.8
- Erika Gliebe, California 4:30:14.5
- Peter Hayden, California 4:38:04.5
- Jennifer Dutton, Florida 4:41:12.3
- Carol Wortman, Maryland 4:43:49.1
- Mike Healey, Oregon 4:51:25.8
- Cecelia Wigal, Tennessee 4:52:20.7
- Robin Batchelor, North Carolina 4:55:30.4
- Dana Price, Arizona 5:02:41.8
- Shelley Stewart, Florida 5:03:46.1
- Marnie Whitley, Arizona 5:05:57.9
- Gina Harden, Florida 5:22:00.6
- Jamie Tout, Texas 5:26:48.3
- Kristiana Fox, Arizona 6:02:59.1
- Andrew Wallace, New Jersey 6:05:17.3
- Marysue Balazic, Washington 6:21:13.5
- Tom Linthicum, California 6:41:06.3
- Terri Dietz, Hawaii DNF
2024 Swimmer List:
- Allison Crush
- Andrew Wallace – see MSF marathon swimming resume here – 2022 SCAR veteran
- Antonio Argüelles – see MSF marathon swimming resume here – Oceans Seven swimmer and Triple Crown veteran
- Bradley Lundblad – see MSF marathon swimming resume here – 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2021, 2023 SCAR veteran
- Carol Wortman – see MSF marathon swimming resume here
- Cecelia Wigal – see MSF marathon swimming resume here
- Dana Price – see MSF marathon swimming resume here – 2022 SCAR veteran
- David McGlynn
- Edie Markovich – see MSF marathon swimming resume here – 2021 SCAR veteran
- Emily Lane – see MSF marathon swimming resume here
- Eric Durban – see MSF marathon swimming resume here – 2022 SCAR veteran
- Eric Kinney
- Erica Esterly – see MSF marathon swimming resume here
- Erika Gliebe
- Gina Harden – see MSF marathon swimming resume here – 2021 SCAR veteran
- Grabiela Rojas Molina
- Heather Fairbanks – see MSF marathon swimming resume here
- James McDonald – see MSF marathon swimming resume here
- Jamie Tout – see MSF marathon swimming resume here – 2016, 2018, 2021 SCAR veteran
- Janelle Westfall
- Janet Craig – 2023 SCR veteran
- Jay Eckert
- Jennifer Dutton – see MSF marathon swimming resume here – 2019, 2023 SCAR veteran
- Jennifer Irwin
- Jennifer Murphy
- Jennifer Whitlock – see MSF marathon swimming resume here
- John Collins
- Julia Ver Voort
- Kerston Corns
- Kristiana E Fox – 2023 SCAR veteran
- Lars Durban – see MSF marathon swimming resume here – 2022 SCAR veteran
- Laura Ruberto
- Lorelei Schmidt – see MSF marathon swimming resume here
- Mackenzie Thomas
- Madison Carioty
- Malena Hankins – see MSF marathon swimming resume here
- Marnie Whitley – 2021, 2022 SCAR veteran
- Mary Singer – see MSF marathon swimming resume here
- Marysue Balazic – 2023 SCAR veteran
- Melissa Housmyer – 2023 SCAR veteran
- Michelle Squyer – see MSF marathon swimming resume here – 2019 and 2020 SCAR veteran
- Mike Gregory – see MSF marathon swimming resume here – Triple Crown veteran
- Mike Healey – 2022, 2023 SCAR veteran
- Nikko Price – see MSF marathon swimming resume here
- Paul Valitutto – see MSF marathon swimming resume here
- Peter Hayden – see MSF marathon swimming resume here – 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2023 SCAR veteran
- Rob Forst – 2022, 2023 SCAR veteran
- Robin Batchelor – see MSF marathon swimming resume here
- Sara Stevenson
- Sara Wolf – see MSF marathon swimming resume here
- Shelley Stewart – see MSF marathon swimming resume here
- Sophia Bouhaddou
- Stefan Reinke – see MSF marathon swimming resume here – 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2022, and 2023 SCAR vetera
- Steven Sherry – see MSF marathon swimming resume here – 2023 SCAR veteran
- Taylor Stallings-Pinnick – 2023 SCAR veteran
- Terri Dietz
- Tom Linthicum – see MSF marathon swimming resume here – 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2021 SCAR veteran
- William Polson
- Steve Moby Leitch – see MSF marathon swimming resume here
Sights From Day Two
For more information, visit www.scarswim.com. For additional photos and information, visit Facebook here.
MSF = Marathon Swimmers Federation (see here).
© 2024 Daily News of Open Water Swimming
“to educate, enthuse, and entertain all those who venture beyond the shoreline”