2014 Global Marathon Swimming Awards - Winners

Solo Swim of the Year

The most outstanding solo marathon swim

Chloё McCardel (Australia)

chloe

Unprecedented swim from South Eleuthera Island to Nassau, Bahamas. 124.4 kilometers (77.3 miles) in 41 hours, 21 minutes. New world record, longest unassisted ocean swim. [MSF swim documentation], [Forum nomination]

Craig Lenning (United States)

craig

First solo swim from the Farallon Islands to the California mainland since 1967. 25.7 miles (41.4 km) in 15 hours, 47 minutes on 8th April. [MSF swim documentation], [Forum nomination]

Barra Award

Most impressive year of marathon swimming, all considered

Charlotte Samuels (United States)

charlotte

Youngest person (16) to complete the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming. [Forum nomination]

  • Manhattan Island Marathon Swim, 9:55 on 28th June. Sanctioned by NYC Swim.
  • Catalina Channel, 20:20 on 4th August. Sanctioned by CCSF.
  • English Channel, 20:44 on 8th September. Sanctioned by CS&PF.

Mo Siegel (United States)

mo

  • 11-12 April: Alcatraz / Golden Gate Bridge Swims, San Francisco.
  • May: Arizona S.C.A.R. Swim Challenge:
    • Saguaro Lake - 9 miles - 5:07:56
    • Canyon Lake - 9.5 miles - 5:06:59
    • Apache Lake - 17 miles - 11:01:43
  • July: 8 Bridges Hudson River Swim:
    • Stage 3 - Beacon / Newburgh to Mid-Hudson Bridge - 13.2 miles - 4:24:37
    • Stage 4 - Mid-Hudson to Bear Mtn Bridge - 15.2 miles - 5:57:34
  • 12 July: Manhattan Island Marathon Swim - two-person relay.
  • 26 July: Boston Light Swim. 8 miles in 4:34.
  • 2 August: Swim Across The Sound (race called at 2 hours, 5 minutes)
  • 23 August: Skaneateles Lake, New York (Finger Lakes). 16 Miles in 9:21.
  • 5 September: Lake Willoughby, Vermont. 5 miles in 3:30.
  • 13 September: Manhattan Island Marathon Relays (4-person)
  • 27 September: Coney Island Triple Dip. 10 km in 4:08.

[Forum nomination]

Service to Marathon Swimming

The individual individual or group who has contributed most meaningfully to the sport of marathon swimming in a non-swimming role.

Neil van der Byl and Grace van der Byl (United States)

vanderbyls

For their support of Catalina and Santa Barbara Channel swimmers (as paddlers, crew, and observers); and for founding and organizing the Southern California Open-Water Swim Support Network, to put channel swimmers in touch with potential support paddlers and crew. [Forum nomination]

Yudovin Award for Most Adventurous Swim

The most adventurous, interesting, or unusual swim.

Peter Hayden (United States)

peter

23.4-mile (37.7 km) Anacapa Island “around and back” swim. First-ever circumnavigation of Anacapa Island (11 miles in 5:41), then back to the mainland without stopping (12.4 miles in 6:59), on 3 September. Sanctioned by SBCSA. [Route map]


Finalists

Solo Swim of the Year (Female)

Chloё McCardel (Australia)

Unprecedented swim from South Eleuthera Island to Nassau, Bahamas. 124.4 kilometers (77.3 miles) in 41 hours, 21 minutes. New world record, longest unassisted ocean swim. [MSF swim documentation], [Forum nomination]

Charlotte Samuels (United States)

A very long Catalina Channel swim. 20.1 miles (32.3 km) in 20 hours, 20 minutes on 4th August. Sanctioned by CCSF. [News article], [Forum nomination]

Susan Simmons (Canada)

Unprecedented two-way crossing of Lake Cowichan, British Columbia, Canada. 68 kilometers (42.3 miles) in 33 hours. [News article], [Forum nomination]

Solo Swim of the Year (Male)

Bob Fernald (United States)

English Channel swim against “foot-long odds” (click to read story). 21 miles (33.8 km) in 10 hours, 50 minutes on 22nd July. Sanctioned by CS&PF.

Craig Lenning (United States)

First solo swim from the Farallon Islands to the California mainland since 1967. 25.7 miles (41.4 km) in 15 hours, 47 minutes on 8th April. [MSF swim documentation], [Forum nomination]

Otto Thaning (South Africa)

Oldest (73) to swim the English Channel. 21 miles (33.8 km) in 12 hours, 53 minutes on 6th September. Sanctioned by CS&PF. [BBC News article], [audio interview], [Forum nomination]

Barra Award for Most Impressive Overall Year (Female)

Emma France (United Kingdom)

Nomination from Helen Beveridge: In 2014 Emma was back swimming with a vengeance. She completed her second English Channel crossing in 12hrs 58 on 8 July. Just 7 days later she completed a round Jersey swim in 11hrs 46mins. A 3-person channel relay followed as the Castaways swam on 16 September in tough conditions. Emma then attempted yet another solo English Channel swim on 27 September, surviving about 10 hours with significant pain in her left shoulder and wrist before being pulled out of the water by the pilot. This girl would not have voluntarily left the water. In addition Emma manages all the bookings for one of the CS&PF boats, is a regular part of the Dover beach crew on weekends throughout the summer, crews and observes swims, is one of the go-to people for freely offered advice and encouragement and is an enormous support to any prospective Channel swimmer.

Elaine Howley (United States)

  • Unprecedented 32.3-mile (52 km) crossing of Lake Pend Oreille, Idaho [MSF swim documentation].
  • Articles written for USMS SWIMMER magazine, H2Open Magazine, and espnW.
  • Co-race directed the Boston Light Swim.
  • Vice President and and observer for Massachusetts Open Water Swimming Association.
  • Co-authored MSF Rules of Marathon Swimming.

[nomination]

Charlotte Samuels (United States)

Youngest person (16) to complete the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming. [Forum nomination]

  • Manhattan Island Marathon Swim, 9:55 on 28th June. Sanctioned by NYC Swim.
  • Catalina Channel, 20:20 on 4th August. Sanctioned by CCSF.
  • English Channel, 20:44 on 8th September. Sanctioned by CS&PF.

Barra Award for Most Impressive Overall Year (Male)

Anthony McCarley (United States)

  • Unprecedented three-way crossing of Pillsbury Sound between the islands of St Thomas and St John. 7 miles (11.2 km) in 4:53 on 8 January [MSF swim documentation].
  • Manhattan Island Marathon Swim. 28.5 miles (45.8 km) in 9:40 on 28 June. Sanctioned by NYC Swim.
  • Catalina Channel. 20 miles (32.3 km) in 13:00 on 19 July. Sanctioned by CCSF.
  • 3 Rivers Marathon Swim, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 30 km (18.6 miles) in 11:31 on 13 September.
  • Santa Barbara Channel, Anacapa Island to mainland. 12.4 miles (20 km) in 7:48 on 19 October.
  • Completed the Triple Crown in 11 months, 5 days (including EC in 2013).

[Forum nomination]

Rohan More (India)

  • English Channel. 21 miles (33.8 km) in 13:13 on 26 July. Sanctioned by CS&PF.
  • Catalina Channel. 20 miles (32.3 km) in 10 hours 17 minutes on 29 September. Sanctioned by CCSF.
  • Molokai Channel. 26 miles (41.8 km) in 17 hours 28 minutes on 26 October.

[Forum nomination]

Mo Siegel (United States)

  • 11-12 April: Alcatraz / Golden Gate Bridge Swims, San Francisco.
  • May: Arizona S.C.A.R. Swim Challenge:
    • Saguaro Lake - 9 miles - 5:07:56
    • Canyon Lake - 9.5 miles - 5:06:59
    • Apache Lake - 17 miles - 11:01:43
  • July: 8 Bridges Hudson River Swim:
    • Stage 3 - Beacon / Newburgh to Mid-Hudson Bridge - 13.2 miles - 4:24:37
    • Stage 4 - Mid-Hudson to Bear Mtn Bridge - 15.2 miles - 5:57:34
  • 12 July: Manhattan Island Marathon Swim - two-person relay.
  • 26 July: Boston Light Swim. 8 miles in 4:34.
  • 2 August: Swim Across The Sound (race called at 2 hours, 5 minutes)
  • 23 August: Skaneateles Lake, New York (Finger Lakes). 16 Miles in 9:21.
  • 5 September: Lake Willoughby, Vermont. 5 miles in 3:30.
  • 13 September: Manhattan Island Marathon Relays (4-person)
  • 27 September: Coney Island Triple Dip. 10 km in 4:08.

[Forum nomination]

Service to Marathon Swimming Award

Roger Finch (South Africa) and Tracy Clark (New Zealand and the Netherlands)

For their tireless back-to-back crewing for Otto Thaning (oldest to swim the English Channel) and Charlotte Samuels (youngest to complete the Triple Crown), with only a few hours’ rest on land in Dover between. [Forum nomination]

Greg O’Connor (United States)

For his leadership, as co-race director of the Boston Light Swim and President of the Massachusetts Open Water Swimming Association; and for his frequent volunteer work for Northeast Kingdom open water swimming events. [Forum nomination]

Neil van der Byl and Grace van der Byl (United States)

For their support of Catalina and Santa Barbara Channel swimmers (as paddlers, crew, and observers); and for founding and organizing the Southern California Open-Water Swim Support Network, to put channel swimmers in touch with potential support paddlers and crew. [Forum nomination]

Yudovin Award for Most Adventurous Swim

Patti Bauernfeind (United States)

25-mile (40.2 km) Monterey Bay crossing: 13:00 on August 26. Second ever solo Monterey Bay swim, and the first since 1980. [MSF documentation]

Katie Benoit (United States)

Unprecedented 21-mile (33.8 km) triple-width crossing of Lake Constance (Bodensee), Germany. 34 km in 11:40 on August 30. [Bodensee records page]

Peter Hayden (United States)

23.4-mile (37.7 km) Anacapa Island “around and back” swim. First-ever circumnavigation of Anacapa Island (11 miles in 5:41), then back to the mainland without stopping (12.4 miles in 6:59), on 3 September. Sanctioned by SBCSA. [Route map]