Open Water Swimming News & Views

The 2023 SCAR Swim Challenge was another grand success.   The brainchild of visionary Kent Nicholas  [shown below] had won the 2022 World Open Water Swimming Event of the Year and had attracted a multi-faceted, multi-talented group of prolific marathon swimmers and their escort kayakers from around the world.  Triple Crowners , Ice Milers , and swimmers who have set records and pioneered swims gathered in the warm desert of Arizona to compete in the 4-day, 4-lake SCAR stage swim . The event consists of four lake crossings, from dam to dam in Saguaro Lake , Canyon Lake , Apache Lake , and finally a night swim in Roosevelt Lake .  The four lakes were created through a series of dams that created the reservoirs along the Salt River  that flows through the State of Arizona. Nicholas wrote on the SCAR Facebook page , “ If we could dial in a perfect day at Saguaro, this was it. From water temp to air temp to low wind – it was good day to be at S.  Michael ...

Who are among the best open water swimmers in history? Who are considered legends, icons, heroes, heroines, and historic figures in the sport? Every fan has their favorite swimmers. Any list of the Best Open Water Swimmers of the Decade is, by necessity, subjective. But it is certainly fun to discuss and debate among open water swimming historians and fans. Below are our choices for the Best Open Water Swimmers between the 1950's and 2010's. This selection of the Best Open Water Swimmers of the Decade is based on four criteria with the following priority: 1. Champions - or swimmers who won major international races against the best swimmers of their era 2. Pioneers - or swimmers who completed unprecedented extreme swims of any distance in any location 3. Record Holders - or swimmers who set records across channels, lakes, seas, either in competition or on a solo swim 4. Endurers - or swimmers who swam for distance in any open body of water at various temperatur...

Who are among the best open water swimmers in history? Who are considered legends, icons, heroes, heroines, historic figures in the sport? Everyone has their favorite swimmers. Any list of the Best Open Water Swimmers of the Decade is, by necessity, subjective. But it is certainly fun to discuss and debate among open water swimming historians and fans. Below are our choices for the Best Open Water Swimmers of the 2010's. This selection of the Best Open Water Swimmers of the 2010's is based on four criteria with the following priority: 1. Champions - or swimmers who won major international races against the best swimmers of their era 2. Pioneers - or swimmers who completed unprecedented extreme swims of any distance in any location 3. Record Holders - or swimmers who set records across channels, lakes, seas, either in competition or on a solo swim 4. Endurers - or swimmers who swam for distance in any open body of water at various temperatures That is, if a Cham...