Tandem Swim Success Across Lake Erie
Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California. Josh Heynes, a clinical cardiac exercise physiologist, is a busy man today and tonight.
As the founder of the Lake Erie Open Water Swimming Association, he is overseeing three swimmers who are attempting a 24.3-mile (39.1 km) swim across Lake Erie between Long Point, Ontario, Canada and North East Township’s Freeport Beach in Pennsylvania, USA.
Two brothers Greg and Tommy Van Volkenburg took off on their tandem swim a short time before 41-year-old Chris Fetcko set off on the same course.
Their near real-time locations can be followed here for the brothers and here for Fetcko.
Heynes confirmed the Van Volkenburg brothers completed the swim in 11 hour 15 minutes 40 seconds, setting a new course record, when they landed at 6:20 pm local time [see photo above]. Fetcko followed up with a 15 hour 12 minute crossing that same evening.
Copyright © 2008-2017 by World Open Water Swimming Association
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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