Joe Zemaitis first proposed the Triple Crown of Stage Swims in January 2018 – and then got around to pioneering this unique series of stage swims by June 2018.
The Triple Crown of Stage Swims is a three-event series for marathon swimmers that requires the successful solo completion of a lake stage swim, a river stage swim, and an ocean stage swim.
The Arizona coach and Guinness World Record holder completed all 4 stage swims of the 2015 SCAR Swim Challenge in Arizona, all 3 stage swims of the 2017 ʻAu I Nā Mokupuni ʻEkolu Swim Challenge in Hawaii, and all 7 stage swims of the 2018 8 Bridges Hudson River Swim in New York.
Devon Clifford was the first female to complete the Triple Crown of Stage Swims in September 2018. Dr. Steven Minaglia of Hawaii and John Zemaitis followed.
Joe Zemaitis met Antonio Argüelles of Mexico City at the welcome dinner at the SCAR Swim last night. Argüelles is another Triple Crowner with his own long history in completing the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming, several times over. His first Triple Crown was completed in 1999 – when Zemaitis was still a teenager.
For all their multiple channel crossings and many dozens of marathon swims around the world, it took the SCAR Swim to bring Zemaitis and Argüelles together. The top Guinness World Record holders shared stories and memories that could fill volumes of books for adventurers and extreme athletes.
This morning in Saguaro Lake, the two titans will be swimming the 15.2 km course: Zemaitis plans on a two-way crossing while Argüelles like 44 others will enjoy a one-way crossing in the Tonto National Forest.
As Zemaitis says, “We train hard so the impossible become imaginable and the imaginable becomes achievable. It is a lesson that I learned in life that has extended far beyond water’s edge.”
The Triple Crown of Stage Swims includes the following events:
* SCAR Swim Challenge: a 4-day, 4-stage 66.9 km lake stage swim: 15.2 km Saguaro Lake on Day 1 + 14.4 km Canyon Lake on Day 2 + 27.3 km Apache Lake on Day 3 + 10 km Roosevelt Lake on Day 4 in Arizona, USA organized by Kent Nicholas
* 8 Bridges Hudson River Swim: an 8-day, 7-stage 193 km river stage swim down the Hudson River: 29.4 km on Day 1 + 31.8 km on Day 2 + 21.2 km on Day 3 + 24.4 km on Day 4 + 31.8 km on Day 5 (The Beast) + 25.2 km on Day 6 + 29.1 km on Day 7 in New York, USA organized by New York Open Water
* Au I Na Mokupuni Ekolu Endurance Challenge Invitational: a 3-day 3-stage 42.9 km ocean channel stage swim: 14.2 km Auau Channel from the island of Maui to the island of Lanai on Day 1 + 13.7 km Pailolo Channel from the island of Maui to the island of Molokai on Day 2 + 15 km Kalohi Channel from the island of Molokai to the island of Lanai on Day 3 in Hawaii, USA organized by Dr. Steven Minaglia
Zemaitis said, “What I have loved about the stage swims is that you really get to know the other participants. At solo swims, you’re pretty much on your own by design. At [competitive] races, you meet some people on one day, but pretty much go your separate ways pretty quickly.“
© 2024 Daily News of Open Water Swimming
“to educate, enthuse, and entertain all those who venture beyond the shoreline“