'Mermaids' to swim Lake Pend Oreille
Attempt record 34-mile swim relay
SANDPOINT, ID--Will the Mighty Mermaids meet the Pend Oreille Paddler? That remains to be seen on Wednesday, July 22nd, as a team of six women attempt to swim the length of the lake in a relay swim. The swim is set to begin at 5 a.m. in Buttonhook and will proceed north to Sandpoint with each swimmer swimming one hour at a time, in relay fashion, until they reach the Statue of Liberty at about 8 p.m. that evening. Last year, Elaine Howley swam the length of the lake solo in 20 hours and 25 minutes, setting a world record in the process. The Mermaids are hoping to set their own record as a relay team this year in what marathon swimmers are beginning to see as “the most beautiful and friendliest place to swim in the USA!”
As individuals, all the swimmers are well known in Masters Swimming as World Record Holders, National Record Holders, and All-Americans and All- World champions. Their individual open water credentials include World Champion, Pan American Champion and National Champion, and include completions of the English Channel, the Catalina Channel, Around Manhattan Island, NYC and the Waikiki Roughwater, with additional open water victories too numerous to count. They were competitors of one another at various swimming competitions throughout the years, but they came together for relay swims and have become good friends. The Mighty Mermaids are: Christie Ciraulo, 61, Los Angeles, CA; Jenny L. Cook, 57, Los Angeles, CA; Karen L. Einsidler, 59, Tenafly, NJ; Tracy Grilli, 58, Londonderry, NH; Veronica Hibben, 59, Huntington Beach, CA; and Nancy Steadman Martin, 61, Oceanport, NJ.
Together as The Mighty Mermaids, the women have won their division in The Trans Tahoe Relay twice; The Lake Travis Relay, Austin, TX; and set age group speed records for the Around Manhattan, NYC; the Catalina Channel; the Length of Lake Tahoe, and Across Lake Winnipesaukee, NH. More important than their victories is the incredible friendship and bond that these women have developed. Each year, the Mighty Mermaids look forward to a new aquatic adventure where they can splash their mighty mermaid tails, set some open water records, and create some new mermaid memories.
This year, as in Elaine Howley’s swim, Eric Ridgeway will serve as captain of the support crew and houseboat owners Val and Jackie Kasper will graciously supply the “Mother Ship” for the support crew. Sunny Blende will keep official records for the attempt and Randy Hixon will assist in support kayaking along with one of the Mermaids husbands.
Follow their event-day happenings on the Sandpoint Facebook Page.