Saturday, April 17, 2004, 11:50pm Eastern Time
For Immediate Release
SOURCE:
Distance Matters, Inc.
Denis Crean Tops Competitive Field at the 24 Mile Tampa Bay Marathon Swim
CLEARWATER, FL--Denis Crean made a late charge to win a closely contested Seventh
Annual 24 Mile Tampa Bay Marathon Swim. Rough seas and an unseasonably cool
68F degree water temperature proved to be extremely challenging for the 13 solo
swimmers and 13 relay teams that entered the event. Crean, 43, from Washington
D.C., competing in his first race over 4 miles, was able to beat out a seasoned
field of open water swimmers. Six other solo swimmers finished the guelling
24 mile swim less than an hour behind the champion. Denis Crean's official time
was 9 hours, 20 minutes, 15 seconds.
The women were led by Nancy Steadman Martin, 49, of Oceanport, New Jersey.
Her time of 10 hours, 6 minutes was registered after a close duel that lasted
most of the day with Michelle Davidson.
Southern Californians Bill Ireland, 44, Forrest Nelson, 38, and Craig Taylor,
51, set a new record for completing the course as a three-person relay team
with a time of 8 hours, 14 minutes.
Results - Solo Men
| 9:20.15 - Denis
Crean, 43, Washington, DC -
His late surge to pass early leader Marcos Diaz between the Howard Frankland
Bridge and the finish line earned him the soloist championship. Official
Placement: 1st Place, Men's 40-44 age group. |
| 9:32.39 - Richard
Flambard, 35, Jersey, United Kingdom-
Channel Island champion ends up just behind the leaders to finish as third
soloist. Official Placement: 1st Place, Men's 39-39 age group. |
| 9:40.00 - Dave
Parcells, 46, Madison, Connecticut - Completed his record-setting
6th swim of Tampa Bay. Parcells' next endurance marathon will be a triple
crossing of the English Channel in August 2004. Official Placement: 2nd
Place, Men's 40-44 age group. |
| 10:05.50 - Gilles
Chalandon, 47, New York City, New York -
Fifth soloist overall. Official Placement: 1st Place, Men's
45-49 age group. |
| 12:15.22 - Joe Wolf, 36, Denver, Colorado
- He was able to complete his first marathon swim, even though
he had to overcome "a little puking" early in the day. Official
Placement: 2nd Place, Men's 35-39 age group. |
| DNF - Kevin
Flynn, 43, Westempton, New Jersey had hoped to finish his
first marathon swim, but withdrew at the Howard Frankland Bridge after swimming
12 hours. Kevin said, "I did not complete the race, but I considered
my swim a success as I went farther than I expected on my first attempt
at a marathon swim. I decided before the race to get into a rhythm and hold
a steady pace, I did not try to push my speed. I made the Gandy bridge in
9 hrs, in between the bridges I spent 3 hrs fighting the outgoing tide and
was pulled from the water close to the Howard Frankland Bridge when the
sun was setting. I could not have gone as far as I did without a great crew
to help. I had two kayakers, Matt Price had participated in the swim before
and took control on what needed to be done from his experience. Matt's friend,
James, was great in encouraging me, especially when trying to push through
the outgoing tide. My wife Denice was a great help from the power boat as
was Jake Draughon who was driving the boat and keeping me safe. It was a
great experience." |
DNF - Joseph Van Horn, 68,
Canton, Ohio - Withdrew near the Gandy Bridge due to exhaustion and the
change in the tides.
|
| DNF - Hal Clarendon, 58, Gainesville,
Florida - On his fifth attempt to swim Tampa Bay, he swam as far in six
hours as he did in eleven hours in 2003. |
Results - Solo Women
| 10:06.44 - Nancy
Steadman Martin, 49, Oceanport, New Jersey - Finished 6th
overall, and first woman overall. Official Placement: 1st Place, Women's
45-49 age group. |
| 10:13.16 - Michelle
Davidson, 33, Oakhurst, New Jersey - Finished 7th overall,
and was first woman runner-up. Official Placement: 1st Place, Women's 30-34
age group. |
DNF - Laura
Colette, 40, San Jose, California - Forced to withdraw
at the Gandy Bridge due to the change in the tide.
|
| DNF - Rose
Rice Fields, 30, Poulsbo, Washington
- Withdrew at the St. Petersburg Pier due to rough conditions. |
Results - Relays
| 8:14.33 - SoCal
Kao lele - Set a new record for swimming as a 3-person relay.
Craig Taylor recounted their experience: "We had a great time with
the event - great fun & great competition. All three of us felt we swam
well, & the conditions seemed to suit us. Cooler water temps & some chop
(pretty good chop earlier in the event) - conditions we do well in. Our
goal was to break 9 hours, but as we approached the first bridge, we began
to suspect that we would be under that goal. The 8:14 time was beyond our
expectations. As we approached the halfway point, Marcos Diaz' boat was
slightly ahead of us - he did a great job the first half of the swim - but
we saw we were gaining fairly quickly & felt he was likely having a few
problems. From there, we moved a little east of him & away, but could not
see any other boats. From just before the first bridge to the finish, we
concentrated on swimming well & keeping legs that maximized our (dwindling)
energy levels. Passing the 2nd bridge & eyeing the finish line was a great
sight." Relay members: Bill Ireland, 44, Forrest Nelson, 38, and Craig
Taylor, 51, of Laguna Niguel, California. Official Placement: 1st Place,
3 Man relay. |
| 8:54.00 - Rip
Tide - Another strong performance for the 2 man relay champions.
Relay members: Brian Rimel, 37, and Tim Kennedy, 47, of St. Petersburg,
Florida and the St.
Petersburg Masters Swim Team.
Official Placement: 1st Place, 2 Man Relay. |
| 9:46.19 All
Action, No Motion - Enjoyed their day on the water just as
much as they enjoyed their nights on the town. Relay members: James Scott,
31, and Mark Rosenberg, 39 of London, England. Official Placement: 2nd Place,
2 Man Relay. |
| 9:58.01 - # 9 Relay Team - Bay
area relay team makes a good showing in their second consecutive completion
of Tampa Bay. Relay members: Mike Embry, 56, John Neukamm, 43, David Kirkam,
49, Jim Zinner, 48, Barton Cobb, 49 from Tampa, Florida. Official Placement:
1st Place, 5 Man Relay. |
| 9:59.22 - Tampa Bay Aquatic Club
- Fifth consecutive success for TBAC. Relay members: Joe
Solak, 39, Clara
Reynolds, 34, and Tom Rawls, 36 from Tampa, Florida. Official
Placement: 1st Place, 3 Person Mixed Relay. |
| 10:23.53 - Brighton
Beach Memoirs - May return next year for solo swims. Relay
members: Cristian Vergara, 45, Bonnie Schwartz, 24, Lori Carena, 50, and
James Meier, 59, of New York City, New York Metro
Swim Club.Official Placement: 1st Place, 4 Person Mixed Relay. |
| 10:30.15 - The
Eulers - Father/son team completes the swim in the first
relay of its kind. Relay members: Dr. Herbert Euler, 36, and Dr. Konrad
Euler, 68, of St. Petersburg, Florida swimming for the St.
Petersburg Masters Swim Team. Official Placement: 2nd Place,
2 Man Relay. |
| 12:26.07 - Jersey Long Distance Swim Club
- Second year for the Channel Island open water veterans. Relay members:
Sally Minty-Gravett,
46, Charlie
Gravett, 60, Katharine Clark, 19, and Dario
Parmesan, 40. ADDENDUM 5.1.04 Email from Charlie
Gravett after spending an extra week in Tampa in the hospital:
"Hi Guy's; I don't want to labour the point as I'm sure most of you
couldn't give a monkey's but now I'm back on the 'Rock' I find our E-mails
bursting with good wishes from so many of you. I have safely returned from
the 'Green Apple Tango' World Championships without the option of a Vikings
funeral. Thanks to a sound travel Insurance Policy I was treated like Royalty,
or at any rate a moderately acceptable Limey by the American health system
at St Joseph's Hospital in Tampa. They were as superb in their understanding
of my plight as their jealous husbandry of their municipal sewerage system
as they were thorough in their clinical investigations and remedial treatment.
From the Emergency Services who scrapped me off the boardwalk and turned
my arms into dart-boards, the specialist cardiologists and infectious disease
doctors who scratched their collective heads and tried to fathom out why
anyone would travel half way round the world to swim in their shark, sting-ray,
crocodile infested waters and to the nurses who just couldn't do enough
and shared a few laughs with me. Thanks. Thanks to Ron Collins for a great
swim - initially! All Tampa Bay swimmers get their monies worth out of that
boy, it's a great swim and our congratulations to all solo swimmers who
completed the 24 miles and us relay squads of varying numerical composites
who had a little more time to enjoy the skylines and sights. His escorting
of Sally through the 'flesh-pots' of the Tampa Bay night whilst I lay 'suffering'
was as gallant as a guy can get! His reward is a collective round of applause
as the sun sets and a crowded pub find it necessary to clap the sun going
down; only in America! Thanks to Bad Boy Parcells who showed such concern
with his frequent phone calls, he's hoping for the code to get into the
Guinness fridge, but the code will die with me mate! To my mates who formed
the Jersey squad, thanks for all your efforts in and out of the water and
for your support of Sal and thanks to the E-mailers, texters, phone callers
et al. To all my aquatic mates - thanks a lot, we had a ball - eventually!"
Official Placement: 2nd Place, 4 Person Mixed Relay. |
| 13:04.29 - TRI Swimming - Longest
swim of the day. Relay members: Tim Moore, 51, Tiger Mills, 49, Diane Sweetapple,
46, Janell Cory, 49, and Dawn Clark, 38 representing the St. Pete Maddogs
Triathlon Team of St. Petersburg, Florida. Official Placement: 1st Place,
5 Person Mixed Relay. |
| DNF - Joe's Groupers -Withdrew due to inclement
conditions at the St. Petersburg Pier. Relay members: Barbra
Lewis, 42, Anne Coen, 61, Bill Van Horn, 65, from Canton, Ohio
swimming for the O*H*I*O Masters Swim Team.. |
| DNF - Shoals Sharks - Withdrew from race
due to darkness with only 2 miles to go. Relay members: Rick Elliott, 51,
Rachel Giles, 24, Jay Powers, 43, Bradford Lynch, 46, John Landon, 55, and
Tim Zeulke, 45 from Muscle Shoals, Alabama. |
| DNF - Tampa Tarpons - Mechanical problems
prevented them from starting the race. Relay members: Kevin Norris, 42,
Nancy Lyn Ash, 30, and Chad Carson, 33 from Tampa, Florida. |
Complete information including all results and event history is available
at www.distancematters.com.
The Tampa Bay Marathon Swim is presented by DistanceMatters.com, a Clearwater
Web Design and Network Engineering firm owned by Event Director Ron Collins.
SOURCE: Distance Matters, Inc.
Copyright © 2004 Distance Matters, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Republication or redistribution of Distance Matters, Inc. content is expressly
prohibited without the prior written consent of Distance Matters, Inc. Distance
Matters, Inc. shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content,
or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.