David Blanke

David Blanke is an American open water swimmer from Austin, Texas who has completed three Oceans Seven channels and achieved the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming and the Grand Slam of Open Water Swimming.

Open Water Swimming Career Highlights

• He completed 6 45.9 km Manhattan Island Marathon Swims during his career:
• On 12 June 1999, he finished 5th in 6 hours 10 minutes 55 seconds at the age of 49.
• On 16 June 2000, he finished 6th in 8 hours 40 minutes at the age of 40.
• On 24 June 2001, he finished 5th in 8 hours 6 minutes 44 seconds at the age of 41.
• On 14 June 2004, he finished 5th in 8 hours 6 minutes at the age of 44.
• On 24 June 2004, he finished 6th in 6 hours 46 minutes 26 seconds at the age of 44.
• On 24 June 2006, he finished 5th in 6 hours 56 minutes 46 seconds at the age of 46.
• On 16 June 2006, he finished 8th in 9 hours 41 minutes 11 seconds at the age of 46.
• On 24 April 2001, he finished 4th in the 38.6 km Tampa Bay Marathon Swim in Florida in 11 hours 51 minutes 9 seconds at the age of 41.
• On 25 August 2001, he completed a 33.5 km crossing of the English Channel from England to France in 11 hours 42 minutes at the age of 41.
• On 2 June 2002, he completed a 14.4 km crossing of the Strait of Gibraltar from Spain to Morocco in 4 hours 15 minutes at the age of 42.
• On 2 August 2005, he completed a 32.3 km crossing of the Catalina Channel from Santa Catalina Island to the California mainland in 8 hours 56 minutes 10 seconds at the age of 45 to complete the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming and the Grand Slam of Open Water Swimming.
• On 14 July 2006, he completed a 10 km Huntington Bay in New York in 4 hours 45 minutes 14 seconds at the age of 46.
• On 31 July 2008, he completed the 26.2-mile (42.1 km]] Chicago Skyline Swim across Lake Michigan in 12 hours 49 minutes at the age of 48 in a tandem swim with Chris Layton and Marcia Cleveland.
• He completed the Chicago Skyline Swim on 4 November 2011 in 21 hours 8 minutes.
• He completed the Ederle Swim in 2006 in 6 hours 28 minutes.