Back in October 2011, Michelle Macy proposed a new challenge to marathon swimmers: the Stillwater 8.
To achieve the Stillwater 8, a solo swimmer had to cross 8 different lakes around the world. Years passed, but no one had come close to completing the Stillwater 8, although several swimmers were en route.
In February 2020, Macy sought the input and advice of Evan Morrison and other marathon swimmers, and revised the 8 locations to the following waterways:
- Loch Ness, 36.2 km in Scotland
- Lake Zürich, 26.4 km in Switzerland
- Lake Tahoe, 34.2 km in the USA
- Lake Taupo, 40.2 km in New Zealand
- Lake Ontario, minimum 45 km between the USA and Canada
- Lago Titicaca between Peru and Bolivia
- Lake Malawi, 23.5 km in Malawi, Africa
- Sea of Galilee, 20.5 km in northwest Israel
The renowned Zemaitis Brothers, Joe Zemaitis (45, USA, MSF bio here, IISA bio here, @joe.zemaitis) and John Zemaitis (41, USA, MSF bio here, IISA bio here), have been seeking this goal for nearly a decade and became the first people in history to complete the Stillwater 8 with a 17 hour 17 minute 50.4 km cross-border swim of Lake Ontario. Joe posted afterwards, “A nearly ten year quest was fulfilled as John and I completed a 50.4 km swim across Lake Ontario, landing in Toronto after 17 hours and 17 minutes in the water.
With this, we’ve officially completed the Stillwater 8 Challenge, becoming the first ever to conquer all eight of these iconic lake swims covering nearly 250 km across 8 countries and 6 continents. Thanks to our ever-ready support crew Gerald George who there in support on a long night and day. And most of all to my always supportive wife Megan Zemaitis.”
Zemaitis Brothers Stillwater 8 Journey
- July 2015: 26.4 km Lake Zurich, Joe in 7 hours 55 minutes and John in 7 hour 40 minutes
- August 2018: 36.2 km Loch Ness tandem swim in 11 hours 21 minutes
- November 2019: 41 km Sea of Galilee two-way tandem in 14 hours 52 minutes (7 hours 9 minutes + 7 hours 43 minutes)
- July 2020 for Joe, August 2023 for John: 34.2 km Lake Tahoe, Joe in 11 hours 2 minutes and John in 11 hours 21 minutes
- February 2022: 40.2 km Lake Taupō tandem swim n 13 hours 45 minutes
- July 2023: 23.5 km Lake Malawi tandem swim in 7 hours 49 minutes
- March 2024: 15.2 km km Lago Titicaca tandem swim in 5 hours 0 minutes
- July 2025: 50.4 km cross-border Lake Ontario tandem swim in 17 hours 17 minutes
Joe and John’s brotherly DNA showed through and through their decade of dedication. Not only did the brothers swim together in tandem crossings of 7 of the 8 lakes, but even with their separate crossings of Lake Tahoe over 3 years apart, they were remarkably close in time: Joe in 11 hours 2 minutes and John in 11 hours 21 minutes.
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