Story and photos courtesy of Phil White, Ayer’s Cliff, Québec, Canada.
On August 14th at the Fifth Annual 9-mile swim on Lac Massawippi, 13-year-old Vera Rivard of Springfield, New Hampshire finished first among the women, and first overall with a blistering time of 4 hours 10 minutes [shown above with Darcie Rivard, her mother and escort paddler].
The young teenager held off 48-year-old Cynthia Werhane by 9 minutes. Vera’s younger sister, 10-year-old Margaret Rivard finished third with a time of 4 hours 47 minutes, escorted by her father Kevin Rivard. Last year, Vera became the youngest swimmer in history to swim the length of the lake, at age 12. This year 10-year-old, Margaret, became the youngest.
While the 9-mile race was underway, 51-year-old Charlotte Brynn became the first person to complete a two-way crossing of the length of Lac Massawippi, swimming 18 miles in 9 hours 27 minutes.
56-year-old Kevin Sullivan finished first in the wetsuit division in 3 hours 44 minutes. 32-year-old Austin Frazer finished first in the men’s bioprene division in 4 hours 33 minutes.
“This year 14 swimmers participated,” reported Phil White. “The Massawippi Swim is part of the Northeast Kingdom Swim Week, featuring swims on 8 lakes totaling 46 miles over the course of 9 days.
Sullivan, Brynn, Werhane, and both Rivard girls swam all 8 days and at least 46 miles. Werhane, Vera Rivard and Brynn were three of five swimmers who doubled Willoughby, bringing their total for the week to 51 miles. With Brynn’s two-way Massawippi crossing, she reached 60 miles for the week.
In all, 60 swimmers participated in one or more swims during the week. They travelled from Hawaii, Oregon, California, Florida, Alabama, Maryland, District of Columbia, South Carolina, Arizona, Colorado, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont.”
10-year-old Margaret Rivard
Charlotte Brynn after completing her 18-mile unprecedented Massawippi two-way crossing.
The NEK Swim Week is organized and hosted by the Northeast Kingdom Open Water Swimming Association and Kingdom Games.
Results:
Women’s Skins Division
1. Vera Rivard (13) 4:10:14
2. Cynthia Werhane (48) 4:19:33
3. Margaret Rivard (10) 4:47:21
4. Natalie Lang (40) 4:50:51
5. Paula Yankauskas (62) 5:20:57
6. Sue-ellen Booher (64) 5:26:56
7. Tiffany McQueen (45) 5:52:21
8. Lyn Goldsmith (66) 6:08:59
9. Janine Serell (45) 6:08:59
Men’s Skins Division
1. Austin Frazer (32) 4:33:00
2. Brian McLaughlin (62) 4:49:53
Men’s Wetsuit Division
1. Kevin Sullivan (56) 3:44:10
18-mile Two-way Crossing
1. Charlotte Brynn (51) 9:27:16
6-mile Course from Blueberry Point – Wetsuit
1. Jim Podolske (62) 4:16:11
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