Venetian eSplash 04 October 2018 – 40 Mile Challenge Season Wrap
40 Mile Challenge 2018 Season Wrap-up:
This year’s “prize” for completing the 40 Mile Challenge
Designed by Colm Jenkins (details at bottom)
40 Mile Swimmers Reach Europe
The seventh annual 40 Mile Swim Challenge ended September 30 on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. This season saw 58 swimmers reach or exceed their 40 mile goal, our first youth swimmer to reach his goal, and the highest total miles swam by participants ever: 3709. Last year we had 57 swimmers reach the goal with total miles swum: 3237.
Leading the pack, once again, was Jessica Landisman Williams, who swam a whopping 251 miles between May 5 and September 30. That’s four miles past Edisto Island, South Carolina (as the crow flies from Decatur GA). Several people have reported seeing the beginnings of gills and fins growing on Jessica.
Hot in Jessica’s wake was Gabriel Ramirez who achieved a new personal record of 128 miles. Muy Bueno, amigo. Dr. Bill Sexson, age 72, swam 112 miles while also teaching medicine and seeing patients at Emory. Rick “No Fins” Alembik, Janet Fath, and Jennie Richardson all swam 100 miles each. In all, six people defied rain and thunder closings, swim meets, and other events, to swim 100 miles or more in just 5 months.
More exciting news: 74% of the swimmers who achieved their 40 mile goal actually surpassed it, raising their personal bars for next season. Nine people made or exceeded 40 miles for their first time. Collectively, we reached Europe, swimming almost to Dingle, Ireland (3777 miles from Decatur). We swam well into the Gates of the Arctic National Park, in Canada (3531 mi.), and as far south as Sao Luis, Brazil (3623 mi.)
Here are the Venetian members who achieved or exceeded 40 miles this summer:
| Rick Alembik 100 | Scott Fridkin 48 | Warner McConaughey 40 |
| Kristin Allin 60 | Kristin Guthrie 50 | Laura Moore 40 |
| Georgia Ashbaugh 40 | Steven Gyorffy 43 | Larry Nodine 59 |
| Libbie Banks 43 | Maya Hahn 64 | Ken Nuttall 45 |
| Matt Beyer 40 | Kendall Hamilton 42 | John Painter 40 |
| Marcia Borowski 70 | Jack Hardin 42 | Margaret Doonan Pierce 43 |
| Lynne Borsuk 43 | Joanne Hauserman 57 | Marni Pittman 40 |
| Sam Brown 79 | Blaine Herman 40 | Robert Pope 42 |
| Dixie Cely 40 | Leslie Joiner 40 | Michael Purser 71 |
| Terry Chorba 45 | Jessica Kirkwood 42 | Gabriel Ramirez 128 |
| James Coblin 92 | Terri Kruzan 40 | Linda Rathje 43 |
| Diane Cortese 60 | Mike Leavy 44 | Jennie Richardson 100 |
| Nick Cortese 42 | Sharon Lehman 40 | Robin Rock 61 |
| Laura Doonan 61.5 | Jimmy Lockhart 60 | Meg Rosselot 40 |
| John Duffield 41 | Julie Lockhart40 | Bill Sexson 112 |
| Janet Fath 100 | Carri Gibbs-Luse 43 | Michael Simon 52 |
| Laura Fehrs 55 | Sara Markowitz 40 | Paula Ward 40 |
| Rachel Fiore 42 | Juliet Mavromatis 53 | Ellen Westing 43 |
| Tony Fiore 53 | Aaron McClennen 44 | Jessica Landisman Williams 251 |
| Jake Fjelstul 40 |
Finally, you might not have noticed the framed picture that has been in the 40 Mile Swim Challenge kiosk for the past month or more (shown at top). This is the beautiful poster designed by our own Colm Jenkins and screen printed by Colm and Fabiana Lara just for this year’s 40 mile swimmers. It really captures the feeling of swimming at our wonderful pool, like no other in Atlanta, surrounded by trees and sparkling in the sun. (Who the swimmer is, Colm doesn’t know, so I call it the Universal V Swimmer.) We hope to hang it in the check-in area of the office so that it will be a permanent part of the Venetian décor. Colm designed the poster so that it fits in a ready-made frame, easily found at Michael’s, Target, and other stores. Just look for one with an 11” by 15” opening. When taping it to the mat, it’s best to use acid-free or artist’s tape which you can buy at any art supply store.
Now that we’ve entered the Waiting for Venetian to Reopen season, you can start planning for our Winter Reunion, to be held sometime in January. Further details to come as well as an announcement of the 2019 prize for completion of 40 or more miles which is something you will love. Have a good winter, everyone.
Future Events & Important Dates:
Monday, October 8: VPCA Board Meeting, 7 pm, Location TBA
Coming Soon: Detailed information on the Master Plan for member review