Kara Robertson has put open water swimming on the map in Nevada in the middle of the American southwestern desert. Few open water swimming races in America have grown as rapidly as the Slam The Dam event in Las Vegas.

But because the event is held on Lake Mead National Recreation Area, the U.S. federal government shut-down has led to the closure of the national park and the subsequent cancellation of the popular multi-race event.

All those smiles seen after the Slam The Dam events in the past are now turning to frustrated frowns.

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