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In Search of Memphre 2012
Fil
Derby, VTCharter Member
In Search of Memphre is a 25 mile, international swim the length of Lake Memphremagog between Newport, VT and Magog, QC. It will be held this year on September 8, 2012. www.insearchofmemphre.com There are slots available for a few more qualified swimmers. The goals of the "expedition" are to promote a more open border with our Canadian friends, to search for our elusive lake creature, and to raise money for our local community center and its groundbreaking discounted membership and exercise program for people living with chronic conditions such as diabetes, obesity, heaart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, as well as cancer patients and survivors and people 65 years old and older.
For more info you can contact Fil
<img src="http://www.marathonswimmers.org/forum/uploads/FileUpload/3b/memphre.jpg" />
For more info you can contact Fil
<img src="http://www.marathonswimmers.org/forum/uploads/FileUpload/3b/memphre.jpg" />
![http://www.marathonswimmers.org/forum/uploads/FileUpload/3b/memphre.jpg"](http://www.marathonswimmers.org/forum/uploads/FileUpload/3b/memphre.jpg"){kind=link}
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There is a vetting committee consisting of Ned Denison, Elaine Kornbau Howley, and Phil White. Applicants are assessed not only on their swimming experience, but also on their commitment to support charitable causes, and their good spirit, sense of humor, and willingness to support the team.
This event is as much an "expedition as it is a marathon long distance race.
...anything worth doing is worth overdoing.
Find out more here: http://www.insearchofmemphre.com/
Follow the twitter feed at: https://twitter.com/SeekingMemphre
Congratulations swimmers and support!
How do you see the tweets?
We're all just carbon, water, starlight, oxygen and dreams
Congratulations to Gracie for coming in first, followed by a happy David. The endurance award goes to Paula and her crew. They are still just outside Magog at 20 hours.
1. Gracie van der Byl: 11 hrs, 33 min
2. David Uprichard: 15 hrs, 55 min
3. Paula Yankauskas: 19 hrs, 59 min
At age 60, Paula becomes the oldest person ever to cross the full length of the lake. She also smashed the record set by Elaine Kornbau Howley for the longest time in the water. (Elaine was just under 18 hours, facing fierce headwinds during much of her swim in 2011).
Gracie narrowly missed the fastest time for any of the amateur Swimmer Scouts, 11 hrs, 27 min, set by David Dammerman in 2012.
After the thunderstorm interruption on Friday night, we re-grouped. The Saturday/Sunday swim was conducted under a near full moon, with shooting stars and a brilliant night sky (once the moon set), and favorable weather conditions. Water temps were just about 70 the entire way, lighter winds compared to past years (5 to 15 MPH, with nighttime air temps dropping into the mid 50s. Having played with us on Friday, Memphre was kind to us after we re-grouped.
Here's a link to some pics: https://picasaweb.google.com/103472222275138517285/MemphreIV#slideshow/6056775669743019250.
Next year's Search will be conducted either on September 5th or September 12th, with the 6th or the 13th set aside as an alternate day.
The delay impacted Craig Lenning who was unable to stay an extra day and Franco Prezioso who started on Saturday evening, swam past the border, but pulled himself after he calculated his pace and began worrying about its impact on his family's schedule on Monday.
Special thanks to officials on both sides of the border who worked with us throughout to facilitate our crossing each way and to Greg O'Connor, Bob Fernald, Elaine Kornbau Howley, and all of the other volunteers who stepped up to support this year's adventure. No sightings, but some determined and wonderful swimming and a great, good spirited expeditionary force.
Next up - Georgeville of Bust on Columbus Day Weekend.
Fil
(I do think I could be older and slower ... though 20 hours is a long time to shrink! Perhaps that record will stand.)