On Monday, July 10, 2017, Jaimie Monahan of New York, NY swam the 25-mile distance on Lake Memphremagog between Newport, VT and Magog QC in 14 hours and 18 minutes. She left the Newport City Dock at 5:53 am under cloudy skies and arrived in Magog as the sun was setting at 8:11 pm.
Winds were light and from the south west. Rain was heavy at times. but the slight threat of a thunderstorm never materialized. Water temperature ranged from 70 to 71 F. Arik Thormahlen, also of New York, crewed for her. Phil White of Kingdom Games piloted the wooden dory, Django, and made the arrangements for pre-authorization of her clearance across the international border into Canada.
Monahan is a world renowned ultra-marathon swimmer, a world champion winter swimmer, and an accomplished ice swimmer. She won the 2016 Barra Award for Best Overall Year by the Marathon Swimmers Federation and the 2016 World Open Water Swimming Woman of the Year award from the World Open Water Swimming Association. She is the first person to complete the Ice Seven Challenge, swimming a mile in sub 5 C water on all seven continents, the final swim being in Argentina on July 2nd, 2017. She has swum in the Memphremagog Winter Swim in 2015 and 2016. This is the first time she has swum in Vermont during the summer.
Mighty Memphre was tamed for the day, it seems by Jaimie’s gentle and loving spirit and the sacrifice of Arik’s sun glasses and a pair of swim goggles. Memphre laid down all of her defenses and let us pass without incident, without a dust up, and little drama other than the sheer beauty of swimming this lake in the clouds, the mist, and the rain, all breaking into a gorgeous sunset as we landed in Magog. Memphre even gave us still waters as we boated back to Newport, arriving at half past midnight.
Monahan’s swim kicks off what is scheduled to be a record breaking number of border busting swims on Lake Memphremagog during this summer season. Charlotte Brynn of Stowe is the next up with an individual solo attempt the length of the lake on July 17th. On July 29th 2017, 39 swimmers are signed up for the 25 km swim from Newport into Canada, around Province Island and back to Newport as part of Kingdom Swim. Seven swimmers are signed on to swim the length of the lake in September.
Canadian and US border officials have helped facilitate these crossings. We very much appreciate their consideration.
Press Release courtesy of Kingdom Games
Way to go, Jamie! Amazing crossing. Glad the swim went smoothly. The pictures are beautiful.
Thanks so much Stephanie! Happy Swimming!