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Lit by the Sun at the Start of the 14th Annual Willoughby Swim

Forty Open Water Swimmers Awe Their Way Through the 14th Annual Willoughby Swim



WESTMORE, VERMONT – James McDonald, 57, of Walnut Creek, CA, and Alberta Ashbrook, 54, of Chatham, NJ took home some Brault’s Beef Jerky, Couture’s Maple Syrup, and two glass bowls, hand-made by Brooke Brault from Willoughby sand, claiming first place in the 14th Annual Willoughby 5 -mile race, on Saturday, August 12th, 2023. Their times, swimming with the wind, were 2.01.32 and 2.14.13. Second place was taken by Philip Ankel, 55 of Chatham, NJ and Anna Zoccoloto Soto, 38, of La Paz, Mexico. All times are reported at Willoughby Swim 2023 – Preliminary Times.


Six swimmers took on the 10-mile Double Cross, with Charlotte Brynn, 57, of Stowe and Newport, VT and Bernie Abbott, 29, of Charleston, MA claiming first place.


The power of 40 open water swimmers and their kayakers, hitting the waters of Willoughby just as the morning sun came around Pisgah to light up the morning, was exhilarating. A southerly wind of 5 to 10 mph gave the swimmers a strong push through the Willoughby Gap as they swam north under the cliffs of Pisgah. For those returning on the Willoughby Double Cross it provided a tough challenge.


After-swim sandwiches were served up by our hosts of the day at White Caps Campground at South Beach.


The Willoughby Swim was started in 2010 and is now a part of NEK Swim Week, which comprises 8 lakes over the course of 9 days, totaling 46 to 51 miles. They include Crystal, Island Pond, Lac Massawippi, Seymour, Echo, Memphremagog, Willoughby and Caspian. This year was the first year we were able to swim Massawippi, after a three-year hiatus. Seymour was cancelled because of heavy rains and the risk of a thunderstorm. Echo was also cancelled at the last minute. 


As the heavy rains and flash floods continued in July, it seemed unlikely that we could hold any of the swims except Willoughby. But as the rains subsided and the waters cleared, one by one we were able to re-claim swim week one lake at a time. 

   


NO LANES - NO LINES - NO LIMITS