Magog

NEWPORT — On Monday, 70-year-old Dan Shub of Baltimore, MD, swam the 25-mile length of Lake Memphremagog, between Newport, Vermont, and Magog, Quebec, or, as it’s also known, “In Search of Memphre.”

He is the oldest person to complete this 25-mile swim.

He entered the water at 11:22 p.m. on Sunday, July 7, 2019, at the EastSide Restaurant in Newport, and exited at Park de Baie-du-Magog on July 8, at 8:33 p.m.

Shub also set the record for the longest time in the water to successfully complete the distance, at 21 hours and 11 minutes.

He is the 36th person to complete “the Search” since the swim was started in 2011 on the tenth anniversary of 9/11 by Elaine Kormbau Howley and Phil White, to promote a more open border by re-opening the lake to international swimming.

This year, Dan dedicated his swim to the Lost Children.

At a young age, Shub became a cancer survivor, which led him into an active lifestyle as a triathlete and long-distance open water swimmer.

He has participated in many swims in the Northeast Kingdom, including two 25 km Border Busters at Kingdom Swim and last year’s July Expeditionary Search, in which he was beaten back by high winds in his face, but only after he had completed 16 miles of very tough swimming.

He was among 5 others who failed to complete that day, while only 2 made it to the finish.

This year, he returned to finish business.

NEWPORT — This week four marathon open water swimmers completed the 25-mile, international swim on Lake Memphremagog between Newport, Vermont, and Magog, Quebec, known as In Search of Memphre.

On Wednesday, they entered the water from the EastSide Restaurant at midnight, swam through the night, and arrived at the beach at Parc du la Baie-du-Magog in the early afternoon.

Susan L. Knight, 48, of Kennebunk, ME, completed in 12 hours and 59 minutes, followed by Abigail Fairman, 41, of New York, NY, in 13 hours and 40 minutes.

Kate English, 30, of Seattle, Washington, completed in 13 hours and 56 minutes, and Daniela Klaz, 26, of Jamaica Plain, MA in 14 hours and 26 minutes.

Water temperature of the lake ranged from 68 to 70 F. Air temperatures dropped to the high 50’s during the night and rose to the high 60s and low 70’s during the day.

Winds were light and variable throughout the swim.

The swim is organized and hosted by Kingdom Games which now offers over 25 days of running, biking, swimming, and ice skating in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont and the Eastern Townships of Quebec.

NEWPORT — Swimmers participating in the 25-mile length of Lake Memphremagog amateur swim known as “In Search of Memphre,” were greeted with headwinds from the north ranging from 10 to 20 MPH for the first 15 miles on Wednesday. The waves and chop were high.

Despite conditions, two of the seven swimmers completed the international swim that starts in Newport, Vermont, and ends in Magog, Quebec.

Sharessa Guiterrez, 37, of Omaha, Nebraska completed with a time of 15 hours and 51 minutes.

Vera Rivard, 14, of Springfield, New Hampshire and Derby, Vermont, came in at 16 hours and 24 minutes. In doing so, she became the youngest person ever to cross the 25 miles of Lake Memphremagog.

Five other swimmers laid down inspiring swims and completed various distances fighting the headwinds.

Cara Marie Manlandro, 28, of Derwood, Maryland, completed 23.5 miles before communication difficulties regarding the landing location caused her to end her swim, just short of the finish.

Sandra Frimerman-Bergquist, 34, of Exelsior, MN, Eric Schall, 57, of Kingston, PA, Dan Shub, 69 of Baltimore, MD, and Mary Stabinsky, 41, of Plains, PA, completed various distances ranging from 6 to 17 miles.

Shub was the oldest person to attempt a Memphremagog Crossing and the last of those to pull. He completed 17 miles.

Swimmers left Newport at 5:31 a.m. as the sun began to rise.

Water temperatures ranged from 72 through 74 throughout the day, with sunny skies. The air temperature was in the 60s and 70s, and the high winds began to diminish at around noon.

In Search of Memphre was started in 2011 to promote a more open border with Canada.

Swimmers in this year’s Search dedicated their swims to the Asylum Seekers and are encouraging donations to the Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project at https://asylumadvocacy.org/

The swim was organized by Kingdom Games, which hosts over 25 days of running, biking, swimming and ice skating events in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont and the Eastern Townships of Quebec.