At the start of Day Two of the 2024 SCAR Swim Challenge in Arizona, near the dam at Canyon Lake, the 12.4°C (54.4°F) water was so tranquil that its surface was glassy. The towering walls of the lake’s canyon walls and the majestic saguaro catci were mirrored on the water’s surface.

But within one kilometer of the cold’ish start, the water quickly increased to over 20°C (68°F) as hypothermia concerns evaporated while the morning tranquility of the rugged wilderness continued.

Compared to the conditions and temperatures of Saguaro Lake on Day One, Day Two in Canyon Lake started colder…and ended rougher.

Swirling winds periodically burst through the narrow canyon walls, making forward progress by the escort kayakers difficult while throwing down an irritating carpet of surface chop faced by the 44 swimmers.

Logistics are always complicated between Day Two in Canyon Lake and Day Three in Apache Lake, but this year the logistics were especially challenging due to the road closures at Apache Lake.

But race director Kent Nicholas and his volunteer race crew – with its ever-present Brad Lundblad – made the requisite logistics accommodations and schedule changes to get 44 swimmers and their escort kayakers in and out of Canyon Lake and over to Apache Lake in time. It certainly was not easy, but Nicholas’ fast-thinking and fast actions made it work.

Results to be posted later tonight.

Day Three is – as some say in the American Southwest – the big enchilada. The 22.8 km dam-to-dam crossing of Apache Lake is, quite simply, tough. Winds are a given: oncoming an lateral, but throughout the crossing, the swimmers and their escort kayakers are treated to some pretty dramatic landscapes.

30-year-old Nikko Price from New York and 15-year-old Lorelei Schmidt from North Carolina were the fastest man and woman on both Day One and Day Two with the top 6 swimmers finishing in the same position on both days.

Canyon Lake Finishers – to be posted

1. Nikko Price, New York 3:19:48.6
2. Jay Eckert, Florida 3:23:48.9
3. David McGlynn, Wisconsin 3:37:29.7
4. Steve Leitch, South Carolina 3:38:00.3
5. Lorelei Schmidt, North Carolina 3:41:31.4
6. Taylor Stallings-Pinnick, Florida 3:42:47.0
7. MackenzieThomas 3:44:42.2
8. James McDonald, California 3:46:39.4
9. Allison Crush, Tennessee 3:47:00.0
10. Emily Lane, Colorado 3:55:36.6
11. Eric Kinney, California 4:01:07.9
12. Erica S. Esterly, Arizona 4:03:49.2
13. Malena Hankins, Georgia 4:04:26.1
14. Mike Gregory, Australia 4:15:37.8
15. Grabiela Rojas Molina, Venezuela 4:16:13.9
16. Madison Carioty, Arizona 4:20:06.2
17. Mary Singer, Washington 4:25:58.6
18. Antonio Argüelles, Mexico 4:26:00.4
19. Lars Durban, Washington 4:27:26.6
20. Eric Durban, Washington 4:27:27.2
21. Sara Stevenson, South Carolina 4:29:01.8
22. Erika Gliebe, California 4:30:14.5
23. Peter Hayden, California 4:38:04.5
24. Jennifer Dutton, Florida 4:41:12.3
25. Carol Wortman, Maryland 4:43:49.1
26. Mike Healey, Oregon 4:51:25.8
27. Cecelia Wigal, Tennessee 4:52:20.7
28. Robin Batchelor, North Carolina 4:55:30.4
29. Dana Price, Arizona 5:02:41.8
30. Shelley Stewart, Florida 5:03:46.1
31. Marnie Whitley, Arizona 5:05:57.9
32. Gina Harden, Florida 5:22:00.6
33. Jamie Tout, Texas 5:26:48.3
34. Kristiana Fox, Arizona 6:02:59.1
35. Andrew Wallace, New Jersey 6:05:17.3
36. Marysue Balazic, Washington 6:21:13.5
37. Tom Linthicum, California 6:41:06.3
38. Terri Dietz, Hawaii DNF

2024 Swimmer List:

1. Allison Crush
2. Andrew Wallace – see MSF marathon swimming resume here – 2022 SCAR veteran
3. Antonio Argüelles – see MSF marathon swimming resume here – Oceans Seven swimmer and Triple Crown veteran
4. Bradley Lundblad – see MSF marathon swimming resume here – 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2021, 2023 SCAR veteran
5. Carol Wortman – see MSF marathon swimming resume here
6. Cecelia Wigal – see MSF marathon swimming resume here
7. Dana Price – see MSF marathon swimming resume here – 2022 SCAR veteran
8. David McGlynn
9. Edie Markovich – see MSF marathon swimming resume here – 2021 SCAR veteran
10. Emily Lane – see MSF marathon swimming resume here
11. Eric Durban – see MSF marathon swimming resume here – 2022 SCAR veteran
12. Eric Kinney
13. Erica Esterly – see MSF marathon swimming resume here
14. Erika Gliebe
15. Gina Harden – see MSF marathon swimming resume here – 2021 SCAR veteran
16. Grabiela Rojas Molina
17. Heather Fairbanks – see MSF marathon swimming resume here
18. James McDonald – see MSF marathon swimming resume here
19. Jamie Tout – see MSF marathon swimming resume here – 2016, 2018, 2021 SCAR veteran
20. Janelle Westfall
21. Janet Craig – 2023 SCR veteran
22. Jay Eckert
23. Jennifer Dutton – see MSF marathon swimming resume here – 2019, 2023 SCAR veteran
24. Jennifer Irwin
25. Jennifer Murphy
26. Jennifer Whitlock – see MSF marathon swimming resume here
27. John Collins
28. Julia Ver Voort
29. Kerston Corns
30. Kristiana E Fox – 2023 SCAR veteran
31. Lars Durban – see MSF marathon swimming resume here – 2022 SCAR veteran
32. Laura Ruberto
33. Lorelei Schmidt – see MSF marathon swimming resume here
34. Mackenzie Thomas
35. Madison Carioty
36. Malena Hankins – see MSF marathon swimming resume here
37. Marnie Whitley – 2021, 2022 SCAR veteran
38. Mary Singer – see MSF marathon swimming resume here
39. Marysue Balazic – 2023 SCAR veteran
40. Melissa Housmyer – 2023 SCAR veteran
41. Michelle Squyer – see MSF marathon swimming resume here – 2019 and 2020 SCAR veteran
42. Mike Gregory – see MSF marathon swimming resume here – Triple Crown veteran
43. Mike Healey – 2022, 2023 SCAR veteran
44. Nikko Price – see MSF marathon swimming resume here
45. Paul Valitutto – see MSF marathon swimming resume here
46. Peter Hayden – see MSF marathon swimming resume here – 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2023 SCAR veteran
47. Rob Forst – 2022, 2023 SCAR veteran
48. Robin Batchelor – see MSF marathon swimming resume here
49. Sara Stevenson
50. Sara Wolf – see MSF marathon swimming resume here
51. Shelley Stewart – see MSF marathon swimming resume here
52. Sophia Bouhaddou
53. Stefan Reinke – see MSF marathon swimming resume here – 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2022, and 2023 SCAR vetera
54. Steven Sherry – see MSF marathon swimming resume here – 2023 SCAR veteran
55. Taylor Stallings-Pinnick – 2023 SCAR veteran
56. Terri Dietz
57. Tom Linthicum – see MSF marathon swimming resume here – 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2021 SCAR veteran
58. William Polson
59. Steve Moby Leitch – see MSF marathon swimming resume here

Sights From Day Two

For more information, visit www.scarswim.com. For additional photos and information, visit Facebook here.

MSF = Marathon Swimmers Federation (see here).

© 2024 Daily News of Open Water Swimming

“to educate, enthuse, and entertain all those who venture beyond the shoreline”