Greg O'Connor Archives – World Open Water Swimming Association

Greg O’Connor Goes Four For Four Across Lake Willoughby
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Steven Munatones 08/19/2021 No Comment

Phil White of the Northeast Kingdom Open Water Swimming Association reported that research scientist Greg O’Connor of Massachusetts became the first person to complete a four-way crossing of Lake Willoughby on August 14th. He recalls, "Thunderstorms were rolling through the Northeast Kingdom starting the night before, continuing during the early morning

Fortitudine Vincimus, By Endurance We Conquer
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Steven Munatones 10/11/2016 No Comment

Courtesy of Jef Mallett, Frazz. Jef Mallett, creator of Frazz, described his tattoo: "That's Ernest Shackleton's ship Endurance, icebound and soon to be crushed just off the coast of Antarctica in 1915. More than a 1.5 years later - a year and a half including drifting on ice floes, an 800-mile lifeboat journey across the most violent seas on the planet

Out Of The Wood, Into The Ice
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Steven Munatones 03/08/2016 No Comment

Courtesy of Phil White, Memphremagog Winter Swim Festival offshore the Mighty Memphremagog, Vermont. Phil White, visionary behind the 2nd annual Memphremagog Winter Swim Festival, described the winter swimming meet in Lake Memphremagog, Vermont, "Swimmers came from all over the United States and Canada. They brought their bathing suits, their funny hats,

A Long Night Swimming Across Lake George
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Steven Munatones 02/16/2016 No Comment

Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California. What do American President Thomas Jefferson and U.S. Olympic marathon swimmer Alex Meyer have in common? A love of Lake George in New York. President Jefferson said in 1791, "Lake George is without comparison, the most beautiful water I ever saw; formed by a contour of mountains into a basin… finely

Nautical Nirvana, Helen Lin’s N2N2N
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Steven Munatones 09/10/2015 No Comment

Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California. When people see Helen Lin, their impressions, assumptions and beliefs about open water swimming, ice swimming and marathon swimming get trashed. When people see Lin compete in ice swimming competitions and complete unprecedented swims, they suddenly believe that either Lin is a superhuman or open water

Quartet Cools And Cruises To An Ice Mile
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Steven Munatones 12/16/2014 No Comment

Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California. "I was witness to four amazing swims by four amazing women," said Greg O'Connor of the Massachusetts Open Water Swimming Association of a joint ice mile attempt in Boston. "Congratulations to Kellie Joyce, Rena Marie Demeo, Paula Yankauskas and Helen Lin [shown above]. After some paperwork, you will be

The Legacy Of Russell Chaffee
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Steven Munatones 08/25/2014 No Comment

Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California. The Morning Times of Sayre, Pennsylvania reported the passing of open water swimming pioneer Russell Chaffee. The 87-year-old had quite a career and mindset that foreshadowed the contemporary growth of marathon swimming in the United States. A lifelong math teacher, Russell swam all over the eastern U.S.

Shipp To Shore…After 8 Miles In Boston Light Swim
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Steven Munatones 08/14/2014 No Comment

Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California. Bill Shipp of Maryland arrived first at the L Street Beach in South Boston after 2 hours 59 minutes across the 8-mile Boston Light Swim course. Shipp, an attorney and prostate cancer survivor, is preparing for a solo swim across the English Channel in September 2014. His win signals that he’s ready for the

C3 Results From Cape Circumnavigation Challenge
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Steven Munatones 09/16/2013 No Comment

Charlotte Samuels joined 20 other marathon swimmers in the inaugural 15.1-mile (24.3 km) Cape Circumnavigation Challenge around Cape May, New Jersey. The conditions were pretty tough - as expected. Race director Jason Malick explains the term 'Swim Interrupted' in the official results, "Swim Interrupted means that the rips (5-6 foot waves) were too

Paul Rekoff’s Awesome Five-Hour Swim
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Steven Munatones 08/15/2013 No Comment

Paul Rekoff started the 20-mile Cape Cod Bay Swim at 5:08 am yesterday from White Horse Beach in Plymouth, Massachusetts. He was attempting to complete a swim in which only 4 others in history had completed: Russell Chaffee (1968), Greg O’Connor (2012), Janet Harris (2012), David Barra (2012), and Eileen Burke (2012). Escorted by Massachusetts Open Water