Submitted by Stacy Grimaldi
(August 23, 2024) — With dozens of astounding Olympic swims fresh in their minds, five members of the Haddam-Killingworth Masters Swim Club traveled to upstate New York, eager to compete in the Lake George Open Water Swim on Saturday, August 17, 2024.
(Photo above: Left to Right: Ann Faust, Amy Meskill, Jim Grimaldi, Emily Duffy, Sue Anziano)
The setting: Hague Town Beach on the west side of Lake George, about three-quarters north of the lake’s southern tip. Water temperature: 74 degrees. The beach teemed with the enthusiasm and anticipation of 458 swimmers from 19 different states, as well as a handful from Québec.
The weather: overcast with sporadic rain – good conditions for swimming in open water, as bright sun can make it difficult to spot who or what lies ahead.
The swimmers: All are keenly aware that these 5k and 10k open-water swims will challenge them both mentally and physically. They’re optimistic that their meet-ups at various lakes and in the Long Island Sound throughout the summer have prepared them well for this day.
The courageous 10k swimmer: Amy Meskill of Killingworth (above) began the 10k swim at 7:45 a.m. She emerged from the water 3 hours, 13 minutes, 22 seconds later (3:13:22), placing second in her age group, just 20 seconds behind the first-place winner. Amy placed 24th overall in the field of 73 brave souls who participated in the grueling 10k. In the photo above, she holds a memento of her first 10K open water swim: a beautiful commemorative beer glass.
The 5k swimmers jumped in at the 9:30 a.m. start signal:
- Suzanne Anziano of Killingworth. Sue nearly “won the bronze,” coming in 4th in her age group, just 38 seconds behind the third-place female finisher from Washington, D.C. Out of a field of 146 swimmers, Sue was the 33rd 5k finisher overall. Her time was a very quick 1:35:40.
- Jim Grimaldi of Higganum competed in the wetsuit division. Swimmers elect to don a wetsuit for various reasons, including sensitivity to cold or a desire for extra buoyancy. Since Jim was feeling the effects of a summer cold, he took advantage of the warmth and buoyancy boost a wetsuit provides and finished the two laps of the 5k with a time of 2:12:13.
- Haddam’s Ann Faust earned a coveted LGOWS beer glass with her 1st-place age-group win and an impressive time of 1:46:44. “Even though I slowed down a bit since last year,” Ann said after completing the race, “I’m so thrilled to be out there competing in my mid-sixties. Swimming is a sport that keeps you healthy and happy for your entire life.”
- Emily Duffy of Chester. Open water swimming rules require that you stay on course – in this case, keeping large, colorful, inflatable buoys on your left. Emily, an experienced open-water swimmer, missed a buoy – it happens! – and a safety kayaker sent her back to complete the correct turn. Despite this setback, Emily persevered and finished in 2:20:06. Following the race, Emily reflected on what the LGOWS has meant to her: “It’s become an annual tradition that I look forward to every summer. It motivates me to swim more than I typically would, and I look forward to the camaraderie with this wonderful community of people.”
H-K Masters Swimming is a program of the Haddam-Killingworth Recreation Department. Club members would like to thank their coaches, Erin Marica and Olivia Macaluso. They’re also grateful to the Rec Department, RSD 17, and the HKHS custodial staff for their unwavering support. Masters swimmers embody the reality that the H-K pool remains a tremendous resource for everyone in our community, young and old.
For more information about H-K Masters Swimming, contact Jim Grimaldi at 860-655-5612 or jimgrimaldi52@gmail.com.
Photos provided by H-K Recreation Department
