Penny Palfrey Wins 2015 Boston Light Swim

Results

Legendary open water swimmer - 53-year-old Penny Palfrey of Seventeen-Seventy, Queensland, Australia - handily won the 8-mile Boston Light Swim across Boston Harbor on August 15th with a time of 2:56:48. Palfrey maintained an amazing 85 strokes-per-minute pace throughout the eight-mile course.

Finishing second overall, and winning the men's competition, was 63-year-old James Clifford of Poolesville, MD, the oldest male competitor in the race. Clifford finished in 3:08:22, edging out third place finisher Jennifer Olsen, 44, of Natick, MA, who finished in 3:11:28.

The Boston Light Swim is the oldest open water marathon swim in the U.S. and has been a local tradition since 1907. Participants begin in the water at America's first lighthouse, the Boston Light on Little Brewster Island in the outer Harbor. The course continues past George's Island and Rainsford Island, then along Long Island (and past where the Long Island Bridge used to stand), and around Thompson's Island. Swimmers come ashore at the historic L Street Bathhouse in South Boston, home of the world famous L Street Brownies and the L Street Ice Swimmers.

Females Take Top Three Spots at Charles River Swim

Results

Congratulations to Jessica Stokes, Alana Aubin, and Katharine Dunn who took the top three spots overall at this year's Charles River Swim. They are pictured here with Race Director Kate Radville. Way to go ladies!

Charles River Swimming Club

Maura Twomey Swims the English Channel

Congratulations to Maura Twomey!  Maura completed her first one-way crossing of the English Channel (Dover, England to Cran d'Escalles, France) in 16 hours 23 minutes on Friday July 10th! Not only was this a fantastic personal accomplishment, but Maura also used this as an opportunity to raise funds for Build4life, a charity focused on developing life saving inpatient and outpatient cystic fibrosis facilities in hospitals across Ireland. 

Thanks to Maura's crew member, fellow CMSCer Jen Downing, for this great photo of the crossing!

Coaches Workshop Scheduled for March 28th

NE-LMSC Coaches Chair, Crystie McGrail, has a fantastic coaches workshop lined up focused on open water swimming. 

Three local open water experts - Jennifer Dutton, Elaine Howley and Greg O'Connor - will discuss best practices and theories/ techniques for training in the pool for open water, training in open water and open water safety.

There will also be plenty of time for interactive conversation and questions for the panelists.

Date: March 28, 2015
9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. (lunch included)
Worcester, MA - specific location details to come

We will limit the workshop to the first 30 coaches who register. For presenter bios and registration, visit the Coaches section of the website.

NE LMSC Swimmers Compete at US Winter Swimming Championships

NE-LMSC swimmers Helen Lin, Elaine Howley, Paula Yankauskas and Rich Born recently competed in the Inaugural U.S. Winter Swimming Championships. Swimming in a "pool" carved into the frozen Lake Memphremagog in Newport, Vermont, competitors raced in the 25 breaststroke and the 25, 50 and 100-meter freestyle. Way to go ice swimmers!!

NELMSC Celebrates Four Newly Frozen "Ice Milers"!

On December 14th, four NE-LMSC swimmers - NEM President Helen Lin, Kellie Joyce, Rena Demeo and Paula Yankauskas - became official Ice Milers when they completed one mile of outdoor open water swimming wearing only a swimsuit, cap and goggles in water under 41 degrees. Swimmers were not allowed to touch any other person or escort kayak and could not stand until the swim was complete.

The MA Open Water Association organized the event at the L Street Bath house in S. Boston, supplying EMTs and escorts for the four ladies. Helen, Kellie, Rena and Paula swam eight lengths of the beach between two fences, equaling about 1,800 meters. The water that day was 40 degrees; the air, 41 degrees.

Congratulations to all four ladies for doing something few of us can imagine, but all of us respect and celebrate!