Facts and Fun on Roger Wheeler State Beach in Rhode Island

Spread the love

The Rhode Island Open Water Swim is held on Roger W. Wheeler State Beach on Block Island Sound in Narragansett, Rhode Island.

There is a lot of open water swimming history rolled into this Swim Across America event. Established in 2010, the event has raised over US$2.5 million to fund cancer research at Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island.

Captain Roger Wheeler

The beach was named after Captain Roger W. Wheeler in 1970 shortly after his death in 1969.

Wheeler is one of the namesakes on the Irving Davids-Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award that is given by the International Swimming Hall of Fame to honor and recognize the contribution of individuals and groups making major contributions to marathon swimming. The award was established in 1970 by the New England Marathon Swimming Association to serve as a perpetual memorial to Davids and Wheeler (see recipients below).

Wheeler was a teenager when he began his water safety career as a lifeguard in the early 1920’s in Newport, Rhode Island. He later joined the United States Volunteer Life Saving Corps in 1924 and was subsequently promoted to Captain, a name that stuck throughout the remainder of his life. In 1930, he joined the U.S. Coast Guard serving up and down the East Coast from New England to Florida. In 1935, he was named director of the Division of Lifesaving for the State Department of Public Health for Rhode Island.

During World War II, he served in the Army in Mississippi where he designed a life jacket that became standard equipment in the Army and Air Force. Later he was awarded the Army Commendation Medal for creating rescue procedures.

After the war, he returned to Rhode Island where he was not only continued to be involved in lifesaving, but he co-planned a marathon swim with Congressman John E Fogarty. After Fogarty’s passing, the first John E Fogarty Memorial Distance Swim was held in 1968 that was sanctioned by the World Professional Marathon Swimming Federation. Only four swimmers completed the first year including International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame Honorees Abdellatief Abou Heif and Horacio Iglesias who tied for the win. The US$2,000 first prize that Wheeler offered in 1968 is worth US$18,077 today – larger than any contemporary cash prize on the current professional marathon swimming circuit.

He also founded the 42.9 km America’s Marathon Swim in Rhode Island where Iglesias won the race, although Wheeler died before this race took place.

Results from the August 1968 event, a 22.7 km race from Sand Hill Cove State Beach (now called the Captain Roger Wheeler Beach):

1. Abdel-Latif Abou-Heif (Egypt, 40) 8 hours 11 minutes
1. Horacio Iglesias (Argentina, 26) 8 hours 11 minutes
2. Antonio Scamardella (Italy) 10 hours 28 minutes
2. Regent Lacoursiere (Canada) 10 hours 28 minutes
DNF Tom Bucy (USA) 2 hours
DNF Linda McGill (Australia) 10 hours
DNF Bill Lafferty (USA) 4 hours 40 minutes
DNF Harold M. Weymouth (USA) 6 hours 45 minutes

During the race, Regent Lacoursiere swam alongside a Great White Shark captured by Jean-Guy Racicot from his escort boat.

Swim Across America – Rhode Island Open Water Swim

Over 700 swimmers and volunteers – including several university swimming and water polo teams and Olympians Elizabeth Beisel, Katie Hoff, and Katie Ledecky – support the Swim Across America event held on Captain Roger Wheeler Beach (@saarhodeisland).

To donate or join in the Swim Across America – Rhode Island Open Water Swim next year, visit here.