The 4-day 2022 SCAR Swim Challenge this April in Arizona will promise to be quite a strategic race and competitive battle. SCAR Swim visionary and race director Kent Nicholas is organizing a race with 61 swimmers that includes overall race record holder and Catalina Channel record holder Grace van der Byl (13 hours 7 minutes 16 seconds in 2013) and the men’s record holder and defending champion Michael Rice (13 hours 20 minutes in 2021).

But the fastest of them all could be Monterey Bay record holder Catherine Breed, a former star of the powerful University of California Berkeley women’s swim team, or perhaps even 16-year-old Mason Hopkins who is coached by SCAR veteran Joe Zemaitis to some quick distance freestyle times.

Nicholas recalled about the 2021 SCAR Swim, “Champion SCAR buckles were awarded to Michael Rice and Sarah Thomas. Saguaro was stormy and challenging. Canyon proved to be chilly, but beautiful as always. Apache had its coldest start, but very favorable conditions with water being released from the start, combined with a tailwind. Roosevelt was nothing short of a beautiful sunset and shooting stars.”

It will be a great race among the following swimmers who include Triple Crowners, marathon swimmers, channel swimmers, circumnavigation swimmers, Ice Milers, event organizers, and pioneer swimmers:

2022 SCAR Swim Participants:

1. Andrew Wallace (New Jersey): marathon swimmer, channel swimmer, winter swimmer
2. Barry O’Connor (Dublin, Ireland): ice swimmer, winter swimmer, North Channel relay swimmer
3. Bill Shipp (Maryland): Triple Crowner, marathon swimmer, pioneer swimmer
4. Blaik Ogle (Tennessee): event director, open water swimming pod organizer, SCAR veteran
5. Brian Lanahan (South Carolina): marathon swimmer, circumnavigation swimmer, triathlete
6. Bryan Crane (Arizona): swimming coach
7. Carol Bauer (Virginia): competitive swimmer
8. Catherine Breed (California): channel swimmer, marathon swimmer, Monterey Bay record holder
9. Cathy Harrington (California): pioneer swimmer, SCAR veteran
10. Courtney Paulk (Virginia): Double Triple Crowner, channel swimmer, SCAR veteran
11. Dana Price (Arizona): channel swimmer
12. Elaine Howley (Massachusetts): Triple Crowner, pioneer swimmer, ice swimmer, channel swimmer, writer
13. Eric Durban (Washington): channel swimmer
14. Eric Schall (Pennsylvania): marathon swimmer, winter swimmer, shark attack survivor
15. Erin Churchill (New Mexico): Ice Miler, ice swimming administrator, winter swimmer, SCAR veteran
16. Finbarr Hedderman (Cork, Ireland): Ice Miler, channel swimmer, SCAR veteran
17. Gina Harden (Florida): SCAR veteran
18. Grace van der Byl (California): Catalina Channel record holder, SCAR overall record holder, marathon swimmer, escort crew
19. James Savage (California): Lake Tahoe Triple Crowner, marathon swimmer, Honorary ESPY Award recipient
20. Jessica Wood (Texas): marathon swimmer
21. Jordan Iverson (Alaska): masters swimmer
22. Jorge Cortina (Virginia): masters swimmer
23. Karen Zemlin (Minnesota): Grand Slammer, marathon swimmer, channel swimmer, record holder, pioneer swimmer
24. Kris Berglund (California): marathon swimmer, circumnavigation swimmer
25. Kyle Poland (Ohio): channel swimmer, marathon swimmer, SCAR veteran
26. Lars Durban (Washington): channel swimmer
27. Lauren Byron (New Jersey): marathon swimmer
28. Lauren Hasselquist (Virginia): masters swimmer, marathon swimmer
29. Leslie Hamilton (New York): marathon swimmer, circumnavigation swimmer
30. Lura Wilhelm (California): swimming artist
31. Mark Ochsner (Indiana): marathon swimmer, triathlete
32. Mark Spratt (Indiana): marathon swimmer, channel swimmer, SCAR veteran
33. Marnie Whitley (Arizona): SCAR veteran [shown above]
34. Martha Wood (Massachusetts): Ice Miler, marathon swimmer
35. Martyn Webster (Switzerland): Triple Crowner
36. Mason Hopkins (Arizona): competitive swimmer
37. Melodee Liegl (Wisconsin): pioneer swimmer, marathon swimmer
38. Michael Reilly (California): swimmer
39. Michael Rice (Colorado): defending SCAR champion, SCAR male record holder, collegiate swimmer
40. Michelle Squyer (California): escort kayaker, channel swimmer, SCAR veteran
41. Mike Healey (Oregon): race director, Ironman triathlete, open water swimmer
42. Neil Hailstone (Colorado): channel swimmer, marathon swimmer
43. Nicholas Grahame (Indiana)
44. Nicole Cindric (Arizona): distance freestyle, collegiate swimmer
45. Peter Hayden (California): channel swimmer, SCAR veteran
46. Robin Hipolito (California): observer, escort kayaker, marathon swimmer
47. Sarah Roberts (California): Monterey Bay swimmer
48. Sarah Taft (New York)
49. Sidney Russell (California): channel swimmer
50. Stefan Reinke (Hawaii): channel swimmer, SCAR veteran
51. Stephanie Mindlin (Arizona): channel swimmer, SCAR veteran
52. Steve Sutton (California): channel swimmer, SCAR veteran
53. Steven Munatones (California): blogger
54. Susie Paul (Arizona): channel swimmer, SCAR veteran
55. Sydelle Harrison (California): South End Rowing Club member
56. Tricia Elmer (Washington): channel swimmer
57. Troy Dega (Wisconsin): coach and trainer
58. Van Cornwell (California): Channel swimmer, stage swimmer
59. Wendy van de Sompele (Washington): Pioneer swimmer, SCAR veteran
60. William Dichtel (Illinois): USMS All American swimmer
61. Molly Nance (Nebraska): Marathon swimmer, channel swimmer, SCAR veteran

For more information on the event between April 26th – 29th, visit www.scarswim.com.

Swimmers from around the world have completed the four different legs of the SCAR Swim Challenge (known as 4-stagers), but only 3 individuals have cracked the 14-hour mark to date – including Grace van der Byl and Michael Rice.

All-time Fastest 4-Stagers in History:

1. Grace van der Byl 13 hours 7 minutes 16 seconds in 2013
2. Cole Gindhart 13 hours 13 minutes 14.8 seconds in 2015
3. Michael Rice 13 hours 20 minutes 9.2 seconds in 2021
4. Sarah Thomas 14 hours 5 minutes 24 seconds in 2013
5. Sarah Thomas 14 hours 43 minutes 17.4 seconds
6. Jessica Kieras 14 hours 43 minutes 56.8 seconds in 2019
7. Bella Whited 14 hours 50 minutes 56 seconds in 2013
8. Kelly Harrigan 14 hours 53 minutes 25.8 seconds in 2021
9. Ned Denison 14 hours 57 minutes 11 seconds in 2013
10. John Batchelder 15 hours 10 minutes 11.6 seconds in 2019

Rice spoke with fellow 4-stager Ned Denison and event visionary Kent Nicholas on separate WOWSA Live interviews:

The 4-stagers – or those who finished all four stage swims in one year – include:

2021 Results:

1. Michael Rice 13 hours 20 minutes 9.2 seconds [see interview above]
2. Sarah Thomas 14 hours 43 minutes 17.4 seconds
3. Kelly Harrigan 14 hours 53 minutes 25.8 seconds
4. Rocio Mora, 15 hours 11 minutes 39.0 seconds
5. Heather Roca, 15 hours 53 minutes 36.6 seconds
6. Mike Herrmann, 16 hours 39 minutes 57.4 seconds
7. Brian Campbell, 16 hours 50 minutes 42.8 seconds
8. Edie Markovich, 17 hours 16 minutes 49.3 seconds
9. Steve Sutton, 18 hours 55 minutes 39.0 seconds
10. Sarah Bird, 19 hours 3 minutes 16.4 seconds
11. Natalia Chuich, 19 hours 40 minutes 30.2 seconds
12. Jamie Tout, 21 hours 43 minutes 16.9 seconds
13. Kate Howell, 23 hours 10 minutes 9.8 seconds
14. Gabriella Rishel, 23 hours 39 minutes 22.9 seconds
15. Gina Harden, 24 hours 10 minutes 58.4 seconds
16. Gigi Goesling, 25 hours 24 minutes 31.7 seconds
17. Tom Linthicum, 25 hours 39 minutes 55.1 seconds
18. Joe Zemaitis, 36 hours 20 minutes 31 seconds for the second Double SCAR in history [with an 8 hour 18 minute two-way crossing of Saguaro Lake, a 7 hour 35 minute two-way crossing of Canyon Lake, a 14 hour 26 minute two-way crossing of Apache Lake, and a 5 hour 59 minute two-way crossing of Roosevelt Lake]

2019 Results

1. Jessica Kieras 14 hours 43 minutes 56.8 seconds
2. John Batchelder 15 hours 10 minutes 11.6 seconds
3. Jack Zedlitz 15 hours 20 minutes 5.0 seconds
4. Milko van Gool 16 hours 4 minutes 28.5 seconds
5. Bambi Bowman Burgess 16 hours 8 minutes 17.5 seconds
6. Kurt Adkins 16 hours 10 minutes 51.2 seconds
7. Rebecca Hollingsworth 16 hours 31 minutes 47.3 seconds
8. Kathleen Pelczynski 16 hours 43 minutes 55.2 seconds
9. Steven Minaglia 16 hours 49 minutes 43.3 seconds
10. Melody Pinkerton 16 hours 52 minutes 5.2 seconds
11. Abigail Fairman 17 hours 1 minute 10.0 seconds
12. Mary Knott 17 hours 2 minutes 8.9 seconds
13. James Cherry 17 hours 57 minutes 12.5 seconds
14. Dave Loeffler 18 hours 2 minutes 16.1 seconds
15. Peter Hayden 18 hours 18 minutes 2.6 seconds
16. Maureen Conley 18 hours 22 minutes 1.1 seconds
17. Natalia Chuich 18 hours 29 minutes 19.4 seconds
18. Greg O’Connor 19 hours 13 minutes 51.0 seconds
19. Kirk McKinney 19 hours 31 minutes 3.7 seconds
20. Debbie Collingwood 19 hours 48 minutes 36.3 seconds
21. Katie Blessington 20 hours 1 minute 36.7 seconds
22. Barbara Lastelic 20 hours 3 minutes 38.9 seconds
23. Jennifer Dutton 20 hours 6 minutes 6.6 seconds
24. Matthew van de Schootbrugge 20 hours 9 minutes 22.2 seconds
25. Andrew K Wells 20 hours 12 minutes 36.6 seconds
26. Mary Stella 20 hours 44 minutes 48.9 seconds
27. Everett Britton 21 hours 7 minutes 0.0 seconds
28. Jeffrey Breen 21 hours 22 minutes 6.1 seconds
29. Cassandra Oliver 22 hours 55 minutes 19.2 seconds
30. Margot McKirdy 24 hours 4 minutes 59.0 seconds
31. Michelle Squyer 28 hours 22 minutes 6.4 seconds

2018 Results

1. Jamie Ann Phillips 15 hours 15 minutes 20.6 seconds
2. Stefan Reinke 15 hours 37 minutes 47.3 seconds
3. Kurt Adkins 15 hours 42 minutes 43.5 seconds
4. Attila Manyoki 15 hours 53 minutes 42.6 seconds
5. Liz Uribe 16 hours 2 minutes 25.4 seconds
6. Serbo Simeoni 16 hours 17 minutes 44.6 seconds
7. Eliza Cummings 16 hours 20 minutes 40.9 seconds
8. Mark Spratt 16 hours 40 minutes 4.3 seconds
9. Joseph Zemaitis 16 hours 46 minutes 5.0 seconds
10. Mark Smitherman 16 hours 49 minutes 22.2 seconds
11. Allison Ware 17 hours 19 minutes 44.4 seconds
12. Edward Riley 17 hours 53 minutes 38.8 seconds
13. Maureen Montgomery 18 hours 2 minutes 26.3 seconds
14. Peter Hayden 18 hours 38 minutes 6.5 seconds
15. Melinda Menzer 18 hours 54 minutes 20.4 seconds
16. Jamie Tout 19 hours 5 minutes 33.5 seconds
17. Michael Pollanen 19 hours 5 minutes 49.0 seconds
18. Wendy Van De Sompele 19 hours 6 minutes 1.4 seconds
19. Janet Harris 19 hours 12 minutes 25.2 seconds
20. Amy Gubser 19 hours 19 minutes 10.6 seconds
21. Amy Frick 19 hours 31 minutes 8.4 seconds
22. Ian Tarrant 19 hours 31 minutes 37.2 seconds
23. Courtney Paulk 19 hours 55 minutes 52.8 seconds
24. Steve Gruenwald 20 hours 5 minutes 24.5 seconds
25. Colleen Blair 20 hours 47 minutes 28.9 seconds
26. Patrick McDermot 20 hours 48 minutes 9.7 seconds
27. Sue-Ellen Booher 21 hours 6 minutes 41.2 seconds
28. Arleen Gonzalez 21 hours 15 minutes 51.9 seconds
29. Robin Rose 21 hours 47 minutes 26.5 seconds
30. Paula Yankauskas 22 hours 48 minutes 15.7 seconds
31. Gerald George 23 hours 24 minutes 45.2 seconds
32. Luise Rasche 23 hours 33 minutes 33.1 seconds
33. Tiffany McQueen 25 hours 42 minutes 43.4 seconds
34. Stephanie Hopson 25 hours 53 minutes 1.1 seconds

2017 Results

1. Stephen Rouch 16 hours 48 minutes 49.3 seconds
2. Abigail Fairman 19 hours 14 minutes 38.6 seconds
3. Amy Gubser 20 hours 17 minutes 56.6 seconds
4. Matthew Schubert 20 hours 21 minutes 11.1 seconds

2016 Results

1. Stephen Rouch 15 hours 45 minutes 31.11 seconds
2. Jamie Proffitt 16 hours 11 minutes 24.57 seconds
3. Kristin Jones 16 hours 54 minutes 1.49 seconds
4. Ernie Hoftyzer 17 hours 9 minutes 7.68 seconds
5. Asha Allen 21 hours 4 minutes 55.65 seconds
6. Karen Charney 21 hours 29 minutes 59.98 seconds
7. Palaka Sauer 21 hours 43 minutes 22.09 seconds
8. Katrina Price 22 hours 12 minutes 53.46 seconds
9. Stephen Key 22 hours 18 minutes 1.83 seconds
10. Devon Clifford 23 hours 23 minutes 6.94 seconds
11. Natalia Chuich 19 hours 40 minutes 30.2 seconds
12. Jamie Tout 21 hours 43 minutes 16.9 seconds

2015 Results

1. Cole Gindhart 13 hours 13 minutes 14.8 seconds
2. Cheryl Reinke 16 hours 42 minutes 46.3 seconds
3. Anna Delozier 17 hours 1 minute 38.6 seconds
4. Stefan Reinke 17 hours 14 minutes 37.3 seconds
5. Chris Greene 18 hours 2 minutes 18.3 seconds
6. Jacob Miyauchi 18 hours 3 minutes 51.4 seconds
7. Joe Zemaitis 18 hours 30 minutes 56.8 seconds
8. John Zemaitis 18 hours 30 minutes 56.8 seconds
9. Mark Spratt 18 hours 43 minutes 25.9 seconds
10. Jason Overbaugh 19 hours 2 minutes 32.0 seconds
11. Graeme Schlachter 19 hours 45 minutes 24.5 seconds
12. Kathleen Wilson 19 hours 58 minutes 15.2 seconds
13. Dan Simonelli 20 hours 7 minutes 28.1 seconds
14. Patty Hermann 20 hours 18 minutes 42.6 seconds
15. Becky Jackman-Beeler 20 hours 22 minutes 58.2 seconds
16. Matthew Hills 20 hours 23 minutes 19.4 seconds
17. Helen Conway 20 hours 28 minutes 2.9 seconds
18. Scott Blietz 20 hours 35 minutes 42.1 seconds
19. Kelly Gentry 20 hours 40 minutes 7.1 seconds
20. Roger Finch 20 hours 42 minutes 45.8 seconds
21. Brad Lundblad 20 hours 55 minutes 57.8 seconds
22. Stephen Key 21 hours 5 minutes 55.7 seconds
23. Ann von Spiegelfeld 21 hours 20 minutes 14.6 seconds
24. Janet Harris 21 hours 46 minutes 11.8 seconds
25. Mark Sheridan 22 hours 0 minutes 22.7 seconds
26. Colleen Blair 23 hours 16 minutes 33.6 seconds
27. Elizabeth Fry 37 hours 5 minutes 50.6 seconds for the first Double SCAR in history [with a 6 hour 42 minute two-way crossing of  Saguaro Lake, a 6 hour 26 minute two-way crossing of Canyon Lake, a 15 hour 46 minute two-way crossing of Apache Lake, and a 6 hour 18 minute two-way crossing of Roosevelt Lake]

2014 Results:

1. Kristin Jones 15 hours 56 minutes 53 seconds
2. Anna Delozier 16 hours 37 minutes 25 seconds
3. Cliff Crozier 18 hours 0 minutes 44 seconds
4. Elizabeth Fry 18 hours 17 minutes 0 seconds
5. Scott Lautman 18 hours 58 minutes 36 seconds
6. Hendrik Meerman 19 hours 2 minutes 12 seconds
7. Dan Simonelli 19 hours 19 minutes 49 seconds
8. Brad Lundblad 20 hours 46 minutes 26 seconds
9. Bridgette Hobart 21 hours 20 minutes 30 seconds
10. Sally Minty-Gravett 22 hours 46 minutes 38 seconds
11. Eric Anderson 24 hours 35 minutes 38 seconds
12. Ranie Crowley Pearce 26 hours 1 minute 26 seconds

2013 Results:

1. Grace van der Byl 13 hours 7 minutes 16 seconds
2. Sarah Thomas 14 hours 5 minutes 24 seconds
3. Bella Whited 14 hours 50 minutes 56 seconds
4. Ned Denison 14 hours 57 minutes 11 seconds
5. Elizabeth Fry 15 hours 22 minutes 5 seconds
6. Barbara Held 15 hours 26 minutes 34 seconds
7. Greg O’Connor 15 hours 59 minutes 28 seconds
8. Allison DeFrancesco 16 hours 18 minutes 30 seconds
9. Kathrin Benoit 16 hours 29 minutes 17 seconds
10. Tori Gorman 17 hours 11 minutes 17 seconds
11. Becky Jackman-Beeler 17 hours 20 minutes 26 seconds
12. Mo Siegel 20 hours 13 minutes 27 seconds

2012 Results:

1. Kurt Dickson
2. Kent Nicholas
3. with fellow pioneers David Barra, Shauna Nelson, Gordon Smith, Patrick Brundage, Janet Harris, and Meg Rich.

For different perspectives of the SCAR Challenge, read International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame chairman Ned Denison’s first-hand account here, two-time winner Stephen Rouch’s first-hand account here, British Long Distance Swimming Association president Mark Sheridan’s first-hand account here, Stephen Key’s first-hand account here, South African Grame Schlachter’s first-hand account here, and Anne-Marie Ward’s first-hand account here.

SCAR 2018 from Knicholas on Vimeo.

Copyright © 2008 – 2022 by World Open Water Swimming Association

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Steven Munatones

Southern California native, born 1962, is the creator of the WOWSA Awards, Oceans Seven, Openwaterpedia, Citrus Corps, World Open Water Swimming Association, Daily News of Open Water Swimming, Global Open Water Swimming Conference.  He is Chief Executive Officer of KAATSU Global and KAATSU Research Institute. Inductee in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Swimmer, Class of 2001) and Ice Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Contributor - Media, Class of 2019), recipient of the International Swimming Hall of Fame's Poseidon Award (2016), International Swimming Hall of Fame's Irving Davids-Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award (2010), USA Swimming's Glen S. Hummer Award (2007, 2010) and Harvard University's John B. Imrie Award (1984).  Served on the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee and as Technical Delegate with the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games, and 9-time USA Swimming coaching staff. Note: WOWSA only recommends products or services used or recommended by the community. WOWSA does not receive compensation for links or products mentioned on this site or in blog posts. If it does, it will be indicated clearly on that specific post. See WOWSA's privacy policy for more information.

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