Every year, Sally Minty-Gravett, MBE travels around the world including attending the annual International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame induction ceremonies. She said, “I go to these celebrations every year to catch up with the worldwide swimming family – and also help celebrate the new inductees.”
Now for the first time in history since 1971 when the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame was established by Commander Gerald Forsberg, OBE, Buck Dawson, Joe Grossman, and the World Professional Marathon Swimming Federation, the Isle of Jersey is hosting the annual celebration this weekend with this year’s inductees in the limelight.
Class of 2025 Inductees & Award Winners:
- Honor Swimmer Grace van der Byl (USA, MSF bio here)
- Honor Swimmer Simone Ercoli (Italy, MSF bio here, World Aquatics bio here)
- Honor Swimmer Dina Levačić (Croatia, MSF bio here, World Aquatics bio here)
- Honor Swimmer Aurélie Muller (France, MSF bio here, World Aquatics bio here)
- Honor Swimmer Stève Stievenart (France, MSF bio here, IISA bio here)
- Honor Swimmer Joe Zemaitis (USA, MSF bio here, IISA bio here)
- Honor Pilot Eddie Spelling (Great Britain, CS&PF bio here)
- Honor Coach Jorge “Coco” Villegas Pérez (Mexico, MSF bio here)
- ISHOF Poseidon Award Winner Nora Toledano Cadena (Mexico, MSF bio here)
- Irving Davids/Captain Roger W. Wheeler Memorial Award Winner Forrest Nelson (USA, MSF bio here)
- Dale Petranech Award for Services to IMSHOF WInner Richard Broer (Netherlands, IISA bio
The Class of 2025 are being honored on Jersey, located in the English Channel, the most iconic channel crossing in the world and a rite of passage for hundreds of IMSHOF honorees.
IMSHOF Executive Committee members Ned Denison (Ireland, MSF bio here, IISA bio here), Beth Yudovin (USA, IISA bio here), Richard Broer (Netherlands, IISA bio here), Madhu Nagaraja (Canada, IISA bio here), Nora Toledano Cadena (Mexico, MSF bio here), Alice Dearing (Great Britain, MSF bio here, World Aquatics bio here), and local heroine Minty Gravett, MBE (Jersey, MSF bio here) are hosting nearly 100 luminaries and their guests over a 3-day weekend of festivities on the Isle of Jersey. Minty Gravett is one of the icons of open water swimming, not only on Jersey, but also among the assembled IMSHOF luminaries.
In a lonely sport like marathon swimming where swimmers largely have their heads down with limited vision, hearing nothing by the sounds of waves, wind, marine life, and boat propellers, these annual gatherings are joyful affairs. Smiles and hugs abound. Stories are told and retold. Photos are constantly taken as some of the world’s most adventurous athletes have the time and luxury to share time and memories with others who profoundly understand their training, toils, and time in the water.
Other IMSHOF Honorees in attendance include Carol Sing (MSF bio here), Colleen Blair, MBE (MSF bio here), Courtney Moates Paulk (MSF bio here), Dan Simonelli (MSF bio here), Elizabeth Fry (MSF bio here), Grace van der Byl (MSF bio here), Jacques Tuset (MSF bio here), Marcia Cleveland (MSF bio here), Ros Hardiman (MSF bio here), Sandra Bucha Kerscher (MSF bio here), and Suzanne Heim-Bowen (MSF bio here).
For more information, visit www.imshof.org.
© 2025 Daily News of Open Water Swimming
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