What more can Marcia Cleveland do? She is an author (Dover Solo), mentor, coach, speaker, Triple Crowner, Grand Slammer, ice swimmer, official, administrator, volunteer.
On March 30th, the Yale University graduate, mother, and Honor Swimmer in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame completed a 42 km crossing of the Molokai Channel from Molokai to Oahu in 17 hours 45 minutes, escorted by Michael Twigg-Smith.
She wrote on Facebook, “I waited two years, one week, and 15 minutes for this swim. A day later and I’m doing well. Just a little tired and definitely fatigued. I slept through the night last night, which is amazing after one of these swims. It was a really tough swim.
Miraculously, I did not have one jellyfish sting and saw no sharks. This is also truly amazing.
This swim was like an endless staircase I climbed while wearing a heavy backpack. At random times, rocks were added to the backpack. When the sun rose around 6:00 am, the swells were about 5 feet, but rose to 8 feet quickly.
This was the hardest water I’ve ever swum through and these were normal conditions. It took a whole lot of determination but nothing great is easy.”
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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.
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