When Diego Degano, Shelley Taylor-Smith Ruled Sylvan Lake

Courtesy of Sylvan Lake News, circa August 11th 1992, Alberta, Canada.

At the 30 km Sylvan Lake World Series Marathon Swim held in Alberta, Canada in August 1992, there were 12 future Honor Swimmers in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame competing: Diego Degano, David O’Brien, Greg Streppel, Attila Molnar, Christof Wandratsch, Claudio Plit, Igor de Souza, Shelley Taylor-Smith, Silvia Dalotto, Suzie Maroney, Maria-Louisa Cabanero, and Irene van der Laan.

It was not an easy swim.

16-year-old Shannon Brown said, “The race was very hard. I wasn’t very cold, but I was just glad to finish.”

Shelley Taylor-Smith who had been battling bronchitis said, “It was a tough day as I had anticipated. The guys went out really fast and swam a great race and [had] a real fast time.”

The men seemed to more deeply impacted. Degano said, “It was so cold, especially at the beginning. After five hours I was so tired, but I think David was tired too.”

O’Brien said, “I was feeling pretty tired and I had cramps in my legs, but in marathon swimming it is one of the pains you have to go through.”

Streppel who finished behind Degano and O’Brien said, “After Diego passed me, I was more concerned who was behind me than who was in front of me because I was in such bad shape. The cold was something I didn’t expect coming here.”

Men’s Results:
1. Diego Degano (Argentina) 6 hours 31 minutes 30 seconds [shown above]
2. David O’Brien (Australia) 6 hours 36 minutes 23 seconds
3. Greg Streppel (Canada) 6 hours 38 minutes 31 seconds
4. Fernando Fleitas (Argentina) 6 hours 41 minutes 32 seconds
5. Fernando Terrilli (Argentina) 6 hours 42 minutes 31 seconds
6. Attila Molnar (Hungary) 6 hours 52 minutes 14 seconds
7. Julio Fernandez (Argentina) 6 hours 53 minutes 47 seconds
8. Christof Wandratsch (Germany) 6 hours 57 minutes 16 seconds
9. Claudio Plit (Argentina) 6 hours 58 minutes 15 seconds
10. Jean-François Roussy (Canada) 6 hours 59 minutes 38 seconds
11. Dusan Toth Szabo (Hungary) 7 hours 1 minute 56 seconds
12. Diego Fleitas (Argentina) 7 hours 39 minutes 6 seconds
13. Igor de Souza (Brazil) 7 hours 43 minutes 20 seconds
DNF Nace Majcen (Slovenia), Maurizio Cozzoli (Italy)

Women’s Results:
1. Shelley Taylor-Smith (Australia) 6 hours 46 minutes 5 seconds
2. Kim Dyke (Canada) 7 hours 6 minutes 8 seconds
3. Rita Kovács (Hungary) 7 hours 11 minutes 6 seconds
4. Giselle Roy (Canada) 7 hours 14 minutes 6 seconds
5. Annie Grandisson (Canada) 7 hours 24 minutes 37 seconds
6. Shannon Brown (Canada) 7 hours 28 minutes 11 seconds
7. Silvia Dalotto (Argentina) 7 hours 40 minutes 23 seconds
8. Suzie Maroney (Australia) 7 hours 54 minutes 12 seconds
9. Maria-Louisa Cabanero (Spain) 7 hours 57 minutes 26 seconds
10. Irene van der Laan (Holland) 8 hours 8 minutes 41 seconds
11. Christiane Fanzeres (Brazil) 8 hours 18 minutes 41 seconds
12. Anita Sood (India) 8 hours 37 minutes 56 seconds

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