In Search of Memphre 2012

FilFil Derby, VTCharter Member
edited January 2017 in Event Announcements
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
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Comments

  • gregocgregoc Charter Member
    This is truly a "monster" swim. It should be on everyone’s list of swims to do. I would recommend that you have a channel swim (20+ miles with night swimming) before applying for this one.
  • FilFil Derby, VTCharter Member
    Last year 9 solo swimmers faced stiff headwinds for most of the night. Four completed in times ranging from 13 to 18 hours.

    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.
  • david_barradavid_barra NYCharter Member
    Still trying to work this into my schedule......

    ...anything worth doing is worth overdoing.

  • KNicholasKNicholas ArizonaCharter Member
    This really would be an excellent swim having participated in the Kingdom Swim this past summer. It's on my list.
  • SwimalisonSwimalison Delaware Member
    Next year? Maybe? Hopefully!!
  • FilFil Derby, VTCharter Member
    [img][/img]This coming Friday night at midnight a Magnificent Seven Swimmer Scouts will embark on a 25 mile search for our elusive lake creature, Memphre: Liz Fry, 53, of Westport, CT, David Dammerman, 43, Saratoga Springs, NY, Bill Shipp, 52, Mitchellville, MD, David Barra, 47,High Falls, NY, Aurora Gore, 29, Libertyville, IL, Lori Carena, 58, Brooklyn, NY, and Jennifer Dutton, 43, Wayland, MA. www.insearchofmemphre.com
  • ChickenOSeaChickenOSea Charter Member
    Hope everyone has a great swim!!!
  • ssthomasssthomas DenverCharter Mem​ber
    Good luck to everyone! Hoping I can do this one next year!
  • rondirondi Member
    edited January 2017
    I will be supporting another great marathon swim -- In Search of Memphre in Lake Memphremagog, Vermont and Quebec: This coming Friday night at midnight, seven accomplished marathon open water swimmers will begin an epic 25 mile international swim the length of Lake Memphremagog, between Magog Quebec and Newport, Vermont, In Search of Memphre.

    Find out more here: http://www.insearchofmemphre.com/
    Follow the twitter feed at: https://twitter.com/SeekingMemphre
  • FrancoFranco Chestertown, MDCharter Member
    It looks like all seven swimmers finshed. Pretty impressive.

    Congratulations swimmers and support!
  • gregocgregoc Charter Member
    In Search of Memphre is starting tonight at 10:00pm. There are 5 swimmers making the attempt this year to swim the 25 mile length of Lake Memphremagog. They are Grace Van Der Byl, Craig Lenning, David Uprichard, Paula Yankauskas, and Franco Prezioso. We will Tweet during the swim using #Memphre and #Memphre2014
  • ChickenOSeaChickenOSea Charter Member
    Good luck to all!
    How do you see the tweets?
  • ssthomasssthomas DenverCharter Mem​ber
    edited September 2014
    So wishing I was there! I loaned out my husband to crew for Craig Lenning, and I can't help but feel I'm missing a party!
  • gregocgregoc Charter Member
    @ssthomas, the race was canceled due to thunderstorms. We are back at the clubhouse (Phil's) partying. The swim will most likely happen tomorrow.
  • gregocgregoc Charter Member
    Four swimmers will try it again tonight. Same start times. Same direction. Franco, Paula, David and Gracie will swim. No forecast for storms tonight and tomorrow.
  • ssthomasssthomas DenverCharter Mem​ber
    So bummed for Craig! Good luck to the others!
  • IronMikeIronMike Northern VirginiaCharter Member
    Good luck all!

    We're all just carbon, water, starlight, oxygen and dreams

  • Grace finished in 11 hrs 33 minutes - a new women's record for Memphre
  • Way to go Gracie!
  • gregocgregoc Charter Member
    edited September 2014
    This event was an adventure with awsome swimmers and even better support crew. The crews spent a night and day in small aluminum rowboats with 9hp motors. They kept their swimmers fed, safe and motivated even when they themselves must have been hurting and tired.

    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.
  • ChickenOSeaChickenOSea Charter Member
    Congrats to all that swam! Also to Fil for making it happen
  • FilFil Derby, VTCharter Member
    edited September 2014
    Official times of this year's finishers:

    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
  • Congratulations to all who swam, and many thanks to the support teams!

    (I do think I could be older and slower ... though 20 hours is a long time to shrink! Perhaps that record will stand.)
  • heartheart San Francisco, CACharter Member
    Beams and congratulations to everyone that was in that beautiful lake.
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