Open Water

Passages: Australian World Champion Open Water Swimmer Melissa Cunningham, 51 September 4, 1994 was Melissa Cunningham’s day to shine as this vibrant young Australian announced herself onto the marathon swimming stage – crowned the 25km World Champion in Rome. It was a stage Cunningham would conti.....

The seventh edition of the Madeira Island Ultra Swim (MIUS) is ready to kick off in the Atlantic shores of the Porto Santo in the Madeira Archipelago. The Madeira Island Ultra Swim is one of the most prestigious open-water swimming events in the Atlantic. It combines elite sport with the unique natu...

Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame Inducts Newest Honorees By:  Ned Denison – IMSHOF Chairperson The annual induction ceremony is the physical highlight of the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame. Thirty honorees (the largest number ever) gathered to induct 11 new honorees and applaud three awa...

When Marathon Swimming Star George Young Stood Alongside Lou Gehrig and Charles Lindbergh By Ned Denison, IMSHOF In the late 1920s, what would $25,000 buy? The $25,000 figure was the salary of New York Yankees star first baseman Lou Gehrig in 1928. “The Iron Horse” played in 2,130 consecutive games ...

Mariah Denigan, Ivan Puskovitch Lead Team USA for Pan Pacs Open Water Paris Olympians Mariah Denigan and Ivan Puskovitch lead an eight-strong U.S. team for the open water event at the 2026 Pan Pacific Championships. Qualification for the 10K race at this summer’s meet in Irvine occurred via U.S. Ope...

How Marathon Swimming Got Into World Aquatics and Later the Olympics Marathon swimming joined FINA (now World Aquatics) fully in 1991 and the Olympic Games in 2008. This journey took advantage of the progression of the sport for the last 200 years and, perhaps more importantly, a set of key politica...

Open Water Swimming: Filling the Gap No lane lines, no walls, no perfectly controlled environment. Just athletes, water, and the elements.  For years, swimming has unintentionally created a divide between the two disciplines: pool swimming and open water swimming. Pool swimming sits at the center of...

Mariah Denigan, Ivan Puskovitch Wrap Up Sweeps at U.S. Open Water Championships The final day of the United States Open Water Championships looked much like the first two days, as Mariah Denigan and Ivan Puskovitch picked up victories in Sarasota, Florida. Already the winners of the 10k and 3k knock...

Ivan Puskovitch, Mariah Denigan Add 3k Knockout Titles at U.S. Open Water Championships Coming off victories in the 10k events, Ivan Puskovitch and Mariah Denigan added 3k knockout titles to their collections during Friday action at the United States Open Water Championships in Sarasota, Florida. Th...

USA Open Water Championships: Mariah Denigan Holds off Hansen, Twichell for 10K Title The 2026 USA Swimming Open Water Championships kicked off with the women's and men's 10K national championship Thursday in Sarasota, Florida. Olympian Mariah Denigan, now training at Ohio State, was able to hold of...

First Stop of Open Water World Cup Scheduled for Weekend in Somabay The first stop of the World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup will kick off on March 27-28 in Somabay and many greats of the sport will swim in the Egyptian waters. The weekend marks the first opportunity to collect points for ...

Rip Current Distressed Swimmers Saved by Westcliff College Surf Coach Lucas Taub Westcliff College surf coach Lucas Taub didn't hesitate, and his actions saved two lives. Taub dove into the Pacific to rescue a father and daughter caught in the rip current near Oceanside, California. Video footage an...

After a dirt-biking accident left All-American swimmer Mike Nyeholt paralyzed in 1981, Swim With Mike Foundation co-founders Mike and Ron turned tragedy into triumph. Together, with the help of fellow USC swimming teammates and generous donors, they have changed the lives of 310 scholarship recipien...

World Aquatics Launches Call to Research Open Water Heat Limits World Aquatics on Tuesday released a call for updated research on heat limits for open water swim events. The world governing body is launching a Request for Proposal (RFP) to commission research on “Safe Maximum Water Temperature Limit...

Records in Open-Water Marathon Swimming: From Fastest to Most Records in pool swimming have more meaning than those in open water. Pool temperatures are generally the same (and optimal), swimmers are separated by wave dampening lane lines, no wildlife (sharks, jelly fish, eels, etc.), no adverse cur...

Swim Across America's Long Island Sound’s inaugural “Freeze Out Cancer” Cold Water Super Splash takes place on Sunday, February 8, 2026, at 12:15 p.m. to 1:45 p.m., at the Orienta Beach Club in Mamaroneck, New York, as participants take the plunge tinto Long Island Sound to help make waves to fight ...

What It is Like to Be a USA Swimming Open Water Official By Tom Lombardo and Mike Murphy Becoming a USA Swimming open water official is a unique journey into a world where swimming meets adventure, unpredictability, and a deep commitment to athlete safety. Unlike pool swimming, open water events unf...

How the International Marathon Swimming Hall (IMSHOF) of Fame Works By Ned Denison There are thousands of “Halls of Fame” in operation around the world. While many focus on sports, they also include other fields - Automotive, Barbecue, Black Filmmakers, International Latin Music, Quilters, Australia...

CSCAA Open Water Nationals Provide Challenge, Opportunity for College Swimmers You could feel the energy in Saratosa, Florida, radiating from every square foot of water. Athletes lined up, eager to compete for their school. Coaches stood around, anxiously awaiting their swimmers’ performances. A hos...

Celebrating the 100th Anniversary of Gertrude Ederle and Her English Channel Crossing Now that 2026 has arrived, we can embark on a year-long celebration of Gertrude Ederle, who became the first woman to cross the English Channel a century ago. One hundred years ago, Gertrude Ederle became the first...