To educate, entertain, and enthuse all those who venture beyond the shoreline
World Open Water Swimming Federation, a human-powered project
Grace van der Byl did it again at the S.C.A.R. Swim Challenge on Day Three. She dominated, not unexpectedly, the most difficult stage of the 4-day marathon – a tough, cold 17-miler (27.3 km) in Apache Lake. Just finishing over 5 hours, she separated herself by 20 minutes over the field. But everyone who swam […]
Grace Van Der Byl Goes 3 For 3 After 17 Read More »
Ben Hair was a lifelong swimmer and charismatic lifeguard who did his job professionally. Unfortunately, he died tragically in a traffic accident in 2009. But his memory lives on via the Ben Hair Memorial Open Water Swim in Lake Anna, Virginia. Reflecting the multi-talented kid Hair was, the Ben Hair Memorial Open Water Swim is
The Legacy Of Ben Hair Lives On In Lake Anna Read More »
We had not seen an American high school swim meet in over 30 years. But this season it has been our joyous pleasure to witness the camaraderie and spirit that so clearly exists among teammates of high school swimmers (see video below of a local dual meet in Southern California). The effort they put into
The Enthusiasm And Passion Of The Next Generation Read More »
Hitting a long drive and scoring par in golf, bowling strikes after strikes, high jumping fluidly over a bar. These are all athletic achievements that feel so good when you do them right. Swimming is the same way. Swimming is a combination of athletic movements that do not always come naturally to most people. So
Nadandolibre Achieves Elegance, Efficiency In The Water Read More »
Barbara Held and the rest of her marathon swimming colleagues tackled the third and windiest day out in the four-day, four-stage S.C.A.R. Swim Challenge on Day 3. It was a gnarly, difficult swim in a remote part of the American desert, against the chop as the narrow canyon walls wind-whipped Mother Nature against the swimmers
Deep In The Desert, They Held Their Own Against The Wind Read More »
Greta Andersen, the one and only 1948 Olympic champion and 5-time English Channel swimmer, remains as active and outgoing as ever. Ever gregarious and warm-hearted, Andersen is shown standing in front of one of her trophy cases. Just looking at the awards and medals she earned, reading the certificates she received, and going through her
Greta Andersen Smiling Brightly Over The Years Read More »
The Liffey Swim is an annual race in Dublin’s main river, the Liffey and is one of Ireland’s most famous and longest running open water swims. Looking back in time, it was clear to see that the athletes dressed differently than they do in contemporary times and prices were different. The photo on the left
Remembering Times Past In The Liffey Swim Read More »
Paraguay’s Lago Ypacarai is suffering badly. It is quickly dying and is actually producing toxins. It is a sickly green. And the disaster negatively affects swims like the Ypacaraí Lake King Swim (El Rey del Lago Ypacarai). Normally held in spring, the blue-green algae in killing opportunities to swim in this formally beautiful lake in
The Death Of El Rey del Lago Ypacarai Read More »
Grace van der Byl is setting the pace at the S.C.A.R. Swim Challenge. She dominated the 4-day stage swim on the first 2 days, but today’s 17-mile (27.3 km) swim in Apache Lake is really in her wheelhouse. We asked her about her impressions of yesterday’s 9-mile swim in Canyon Lake. “The course zig-zagged a
Graceful As She Goes Read More »
The S.C.A.R. Swim Challenge swimmers are off on their longest leg, 17 miles (27.3 km) along the ruggedly beautiful Apache Lake in Arizona. If the winds pick up, and whistle in the opposite direction of the swimmers, it is going to be a long day as the lake narrows at time and serves as a
17 Miles Across Apache Lake On Day 3 Of S.C.A.R. Read More »