Hi all,
Here are the official results for the 19 solo swimmers and the 32 relay swimmers in the Tampa Bay Marathon Swim on Saturday.
Swimmers battled a 12 knot easterly headwind as they headed toward Pinellas Point, with an official starting time of 7:17am. Relay swimmer for The Dream Team, Drew Onken, 19, from Marietta, GA, quickly distanced himself from the field, followed by eventual solo champion Evan Morrison, and relay team Holiday in Cambodia. As they made the turn north, the pack was spread out along the western shore of Tampa Bay, due to the current caused by the incoming tide and the easterly wind. As the leaders approached the Gandy Bridge, the winds had settled to 5 knots, but the swimmers still had to cope with the moderate chop and warm temperatures. Typically, marathon swimmers prefer water temperatures in the 60s, so the unseasonably warm 81F on the race course was uncomfortable for most of the competitors.
The Dream Team, a relay of 3 varsity collegiate swimmers, eventally came ashore at Ben T. Davis Beach, registering a time just 38 minutes faster than the solo champion Evan Morrison. After the event, Morrison admited that he kept an eye on the 2 person relay team from St. Petersburg, FL, Holiday in Cambodia, who trailed him closely from behind and finished only 5 minutes later. The calming waters in the north regions of the Bay eventually saw 15 of the 19 soloists, and all 9 relay teams reach their final destination to complete the marathon swim.
The women’s champion, Barbara Held, led a strong contingent of competitors from Southern California. She reported that conditions were choppy and hot, but her approach was very methodical and consistent as she powered her way to the end. Currently the oldest woman to successfully complete the swim from Catalina Island to the California mainland, her next competition will be the Manhattan Island Marathon Swim on June 18th.
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Perhaps the most remarkable story of the day is that of Flavia Zappa, 44, from Minneapolis, MN. On her 7th attempt to complete the event, she swam the length of Tampa Bay with an expert crew that included defending champion Craig Lenning, 31, who returned this year from Denver, CO soley to help Flavia complete the swim. As is custom with this type of event, Flavia set a new record for “swimming the longest”, finishing the swim in 15 hours, 10 minutes. Previously, that record was held by Laura Collette, who spent 14 hours, 23 minutes swimming the race in 2003.
Tampa CBS affiliate WTSP’s Beau Zimmer filed this report, including footage from the start, near the Gandy, and at the finish of the swim.
SOLO SWIMMERS
Evan Morrison, 31M, Chicago, IL – 8 hours, 59 minutes
Tom Sherry, 43M, Asheville, NC – 9 hours, 40 minutes
Kevin Anderson, 51M, Jamul, CA – 9 hours, 56 minutes
Frank Kriegler, 45M, Asheville, NC – 10 hours, 5 minutes
Barbara Held, 57F, San Diego, CA – 10 hours, 21 minutes
Scott Richards, 51M, San Marcos, CA – 10 hours, 35 minutes
Douglas McConnell, 53M, Barrington, IL – 10 hours, 44 minutes
Cynthia Walsh, 48F, San Diego, CA – 10 hours, 50 minutes
Anthony McCarley, 51M, Berwyn, PA – 11 hours, 26 minutes
Bob Needham, 58M, Lake Oswego, OR – 11 hours, 26 minutes, 15 seconds
Bridgette Hobart, 48F, Lake Hopatcong, NJ – 11 hours, 51 minutes
Jennifer McCormick, 28F, Cheshire, CT – 12 hours, 16 minutes
Michelle Nelson, 39F, Lake Worth, FL – 12 hours, 19 minutes
Alan Morrison, 49M, New York, NY – 14 hours, 23 minutes
Flavia Zappa, 44F, Minneapolis, MN – 15 hours, 10 minutes
Eric Arndt, 33M, Bloomington, IL – DNF due to sickness near the Gandy Bridge
Willy Blumentals, 38M, North Bergen, NJ – DNF due to sickness near the Gandy Bridge
Kimberly Plewa, 28F, Rahway, NJ – DNF due to hypothermia near the Gandy Bridge
Don Macdonald, 49M, Barrington, IL – DNF due to shoulder pain near the Gandy Bridge
RELAYS
Dream Team – 8 hours, 21 minutes
Casey Gemunder, 22F, Bethesda, MD
Jessica Delgehausen, 21F, Rogers, MN
Drew Onken, 19M, Marietta, GA
Holiday in Cambodia – 9 hours, 4 minutes
Tim Kennedy, 54M, St. Petersburg, FL
Chris Burke, 49M, St. Petersburg, FL
Angry Fish – 9 hours, 43 minutes
Tom McEvoy, 57M, West Chester, PA
Chris Kirwin, 45M, Overland Park, KS
Jordan Lewis, 53M, Minneapolis, MN
Mike Regan, 50M, Cumberland, ME
Barb Good Toohey, 50F, Hanover, MA
Dan Snyder, 43M, Los Gatos, CA
The No Names – 9 hours, 54 minutes
Pat Marzulli, 62M, Indian Rocks Beach, FL
Mark Smitherman, 53M, Clearwater, FL
Joe Lain, 57M, Clearwater, FL
Kentucky Girls Swim Barefoot – 10 hours, 40 minutes
Nancy McElwain, 44F, Louisville, KY
Linda Fijol, F, Hadley, MA
Christina Norris, 55F, Louisville, KY
Ashli Collins, 38F, Crestwood, KY
Sally DiLaura, 53F, Louisville, KY
Susan Ehringer, 42F, Louisville, KY
3 Y’s Guys Swim for Richard – 10 hours, 35 minutes
Paul Kiell, 80M, Far Hills, NJ
William Raynes, 22M, Basking Ridge, NJ
Michael Raynes, 24M, Basking Ridge, NJ
Douglas Munch, 64M, Cambridge, MA
Bart ‘n’ Arnie – 10 hours, 58 minutes
Bart Cobb, 56M, Tampa, FL
Arnie Bellini, 52M, Tampa, FL
Fear No Distance – 10 hours, 59 minutes
Lori Carena, 57F, Brooklyn, NY
Julie Sheldon, 39F, Summit, NJ
Team Impromptu – 11 hours, 51 minutes
Mo Siegel, 59M, Piermont, NY
Suzie Dods, 50F, San Francisco, CA
Ric Nadel, 43M, Westport, CT
Terri Pyle, 46F, Orlando, FL
This 24 mile ultra-distance marathon swim race starts at the Sunshine Skyway Bridge and ends on the Courtney Campbell Causeway in Tampa in a race that covers the entire length of Tampa Bay. The event is held each year to celebrate Earth Day and the revitalization of Florida’s largest estuary and is the longest race that is sanctioned by United States Masters Swimming.
For more information, contact:
The Tampa Bay Marathon Swim
Distance Matters, Inc.
Ron Collins, Race Director
PO Box 18004
Clearwater, FL 33762-9998
727.531.7999 |www.DistanceMatters.com
Email: [email protected]