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NEWPORT, VERMONT: At 6:00 am on Tuesday, August 13, 2024, starting from the Boat Ramp at Newport City Dock, 20-year-old, Vera Rivard, and her sister, 17-year-old Margaret Rivard, both of Derby, VT and Springfield, NH, stepped into the waters of Lake Memphremagog, with the intention of completing a 50-mile international tandem double-cross of the lake from Newport to Magog, Quebec and back. They were not embarking as solo swimmers but as sisters, as Team Rivard engaged in a tandem swim. They cleared the beach at Plage de Baie Magog at 9:42 pm, had some snacks, re-greased themselves, and re-entered the lake at 9:50 pm. Swimming through the night and into a hot, hazy summer day, they exited the water back on to the boat ramp where they started at 5:34 pm on August 14, 2024. Their time: 35 hours and 34 minutes.
Lake Memphremagog is known for its unpredictable and often feisty conditions. But, during this swim the conditions could not have been more favorable, as Memphre welcomed these two Swimmer Scouts back and expressed her appreciation for the extreme challenge they chose to undertake. Water temperature ranged from 70 to 75 F. Air temperature dropped to the mid-50s at night and rose to the mid 70’s the first day and the mid 80’s the second day. Wind speed was negligible to 5 to 10 mph from the SW with occasional stretches of wind from the WNW at 10 to 12 mph. For at least half of the swim, water was like glass.
In completing their swim, Vera and Margaret became the 3rd and 4th open water swimmers to complete a double-cross of Lake Memphremagog, the first being Sarah Thomas in 2013 and the second being Stephen Rouch in 2019. They were already the youngest to swim the length of the lake, which Vera did in 2018 when she was 14 and Margaret did in 2022, when she was 15. They become the 6th and 7th Amateur open water swimmers to complete a crossing of Lake Memphremagog this swimmer, with seven more swimmers scheduled to attempt a crossing during the remainder of August and Early September.
In completing their swim, Margaret and Vera, complied with all traditional channel crossing rules as published by the Marathon Swimmers Federation, all turnaround rules for double crossings, and the following NEKOWSA rules for Tandem Crossings. 1) They could not swim with one directly in front of the other (i.e. no drafting), 2) They could not touch each other during the swim, 3) They could not come within 3 feet of each other during the swim, and 4) the final, unspoken rule of tandem swimming, that if one member of the team pulls after over an hour of tandem swimming, the remaining swimmer may complete the swim, but it cannot be ratified as a solo swim.
They swam under the banner of Team Rivard. The swim was organized and hosted by Kingdom Games.
Escorting Team Rivard was Lucky, one of Kingdom Games’ pontoon boats, piloted by Phil White, of Derby, VT and Rob Andersen of Newport, VT. Crewing for Vera and Margaret were Darcie Deblois-Rivard, their mother, Kevin Rivard, their father, and Joe Orlowski,
Vera’s boyfriend.
Providing back up support and serving as interceptor out on the lake, was Molly, a second Kingdom Games pontoon boat, piloted by Cynthia Needham and Kathleene Marcil, Kingdom Games’ Photographer.
The Tandem Double-Crossing Swim by Team Rivard was ratified by the Northeast Kingdom Open Water Swimming Association on August 15, 2024. Kingdom Games provided spot tracker services with the support of Evan Morrison of Marathon Swimmers Federation
Vera Rivard and Margaret Rivard started their open water journey at Kingdom Swim in 2014 with Vera swimming the 1-mile event and Margaret swimming the 1/4-mile youth swim. Each year thereafter they swam longer distances at Kingdom Swim and then at NEK Swim Week. After they swam the 25-mile length of the lake, each went on to complete the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming. They are also regular participants at the Memphremagog Winter Swim Festival.
When they decided to take on this challenge in May, they decided to do it as a Tandem. Since then, through the end of May, June and July they have averaged 3 miles a day in their training regimen.
They are working this summer as experienced co-pilots escorting other Swimmer Scouts in Search of Memphre. They are also giving swimming lessons at The Swimming Hole in Stowe Vermont and as swim technicians at Swim Tech Camp with Charlotte Brynn.
They have dedicated this swim to fundraise to help adults learn the life long and life saving skill of swimming in Vermont. For more information and to donate to the cause, please check this out here.
For a link to some pictures of this swim see Tandem Double Cross
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