Tony Chisholm
Special to The Lake Report

A few months ago in The Lake Report, we mentioned this was the year for a number of marathon swimmers to attempt crossing the lake from Niagara-on-the-Lake to Toronto (“Seven swimmers set to challenge Lake Ontario this year,” July 4).

Now that the last attempt has been made, we can report on the successes and failures.

Eight swimmers were scheduled to do this “traditional route” this summer. Two were successful but unfortunately, one dropped out and five failed to make it across, despite being well-trained.

First of all, congratulations to Jessi Harewicz, the first to cross in July in 22 hours and seven minutes.

Then, in mid-August, Cinti Cseuz crossed successfully in 21 hours and eight minutes.

Both of them spent a long time in the water.

I must mention Molly Bent, who was successful, but she swam a shorter course from Mississauga to Grimsby. Kim Lumsdon, who first swam the lake in 1976, withdrew for this season.

What happened to the five swimmers that started out but were unsuccessful?

Several had shoulder injuries. Small wonder, as it takes over 50,000 arm strokes to go the 52-kilometre distance. Others suffered cramping and hypothermia.

But the main culprit seems to have been adverse currents as well as the cold water and unexpected waves.

At 52 kilometres it is of course a long way and it can be a cruel lake, with conditions changing hourly.

One year, a while back, there were multiple thunderstorms weekly, which prevented or threatened the swimmers that year.

If the swim master (the person accompanying the swimmer during their marathon) hears thunder during a swim on two occasions, the rule is to call off the swim for the safety of the swimmer (in case of lightning striking nearby) and the crew.

This, of course, can be very disappointing for a swimmer who has trained for up to two years.

He or she has had to arrange a number of boats, kayaks, crew for each boat, the swim master, a coach, someone to feed the swimmer, etc.

If all this is carefully arranged for a certain date and then, at the last moment, thunderstorms are predicted for a few days, all the arrangements fall apart.

That happened this summer.

So, next time you pass the swim plaque down near the gazebo in Queens Royal Park, stop for a minute with a bit of reverence and read the names, ages of the swimmers as well as their distance and time swimming.

These were the successful lake swimmers.