John Kinsella

Inductee (Honour Swimmer of the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame

John Kinsella with Don Watson on the right

John Kinsella on the left, James Counsilman "Doc" center and Don Watson on the right

John Kinsella on the right with Don Watson seated

Olympian John Kinsella in lac St-Jean

Olympian John Kinsella

Sports Illustrated article on the Pepsi Challenge Marathon Swim in August 1978

Sports Illustrated article on the Pepsi Challenge Marathon Swim in August 1978

John Kinsella of Hinsdale, Illinois, a renowned Olympic pool swimmer and professional marathon swimmer.

Kinsella is inducted in both the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame in 1978 as an Honour Swimmer and in the International Swimming Hall of Fame also as an Honor Swimmer in 1986. Kinsella is known by his nickname the American Torpedo among his professional marathon swimming competitors and The Machine among the American swimming community for his voracious appetite for grueling training sessions.

Swimming Highlights

• Kinsella dominated the professional marathon swimming circuit in the 1970’s after winning a silver medal in the 1500-meter freestyle at the 1968 Olympics and a gold medal in the 800-meter freestyle relay.
• He started the decade by winning the Amateur Athletic Union's James E. Sullivan Award for America’s outstanding amateur athlete while still a senior in high school and ended the decade by swimming in a professional English Channel race in 1979.
• He won the 20th annual 32 km Traversée Internationale du lac St-Jean in Quebec, Canada in 7 hours 54 minutes 17 seconds on 4 August 1974.
• He won the 21st annual 32 km Traversée Internationale du lac St-Jean in Quebec, Canada in 7 hours 36 minutes 57 seconds on 3 August 1975.
• He won the 22nd annual 32 km Traversée Internationale du lac St-Jean in Quebec, Canada in 7 hours 18 minutes 6 seconds on 2 August 1976.
• He won the 23rd annual 32 km Traversée Internationale du lac St-Jean in Quebec, Canada in 7 hours 32 minutes 3 seconds on 31 July 1977.
• He won the 24th annual 32 km Traversée Internationale du lac St-Jean in Quebec, Canada in 7 hours 13 minutes 35 seconds on 30 July 1978.
• He won the 25th annual 32 km Traversée Internationale du lac St-Jean in Quebec, Canada in 7 hours 1 minute 15 seconds on 29 July 1979.
• He won every major professional marathon swimming race he entered.
• He twice won the 24 Heures La Tuque with Sandra Bucha in 1974 and 1975.
• He won the 1978 Pepsi Challenge Marathon Swim in Lake Ontario in 13 hours 49 minutes where he was coached by Don Watson.
• He won the 1978 Maratón Acuática Internacional Santa Fe - Coronda, a 57 km race held in the Coronda River in Argentina.
• He won the 1977 World Professional Marathon Swimming Federation circuit.

1977 World Professional Marathon Swimming Federation Rankings

Men

1. John Kinsella (USA) 1,375 points
2. Bill Heiss (USA) 1,033 points
3. Claudio Plit (Argentina) 932 points
4. Jon Erikson (USA) 604 points
5. Magdy Mandour (Egypt) 563 points
6. Raul Villagomez (Mexico) 556 points
7. Amin Yousseff (Egypt) 550 points
8. Marwan Saleh (Syria) 477 points
9. Ray Dixon (England) 433 points
10. Dennis Matuch (USA) 426 points
11. James Barry (USA) 391 points
12. Nasser El Shazly (Egypt) 331 points
13. Magdy Farid (Egypt) 225 points
14. Ibrahim Feidalla (Egypt) 205 points
15. Baher Hamid (Egypt) 192 points
16. Martin Neiman (USA) 184 points
17. Guy Montpetit (Canada) 158 points
18. Ossama Rachad (Egypt) 150 points
19. Wayne Westman (USA) 133 points
20. Sultan Kigab (Sudan) 131 points
21. Mohamad Gamie (Egypt) 120 points

Women

1. Loreen Passfield (Canada) 1,375 points
2. Cynthia Nicholas (Canada) 1,054 points
3. Kim Lumsdon (Canada) 545 points
4. Corrie Dixon (Holland) 483 points
5. Nazala Moustafa (Egypt) 404 points
6. Omneya Tantawi (Egypt) 379 points
7. Sharon Beckman (USA) 245 points
8. Martha Stortz (USA) 210 points

25e Traversée internationale du lac St-Jean

On 29 July 1979, he won the 32 km Traversée internationale du lac St-Jean professional marathon swim in 21°C water in Quebec, Canada:

1. John Kinsella (USA) 7 hours 1 minutes 15 seconds
2. Claudio Plit (Argentina) 7 hours 16 minutes 21 seconds
3. Bill Heiss (USA) 7 hours 26 minutes 15 seconds
4. Juan Carlos Mosqueda (Mexico) 7 hours 28 minutes 55 seconds
5. Penny Lee Dean (USA) 7 hours 34 minutes 41 seconds
6. Nasser El Shazly (Egypt) 7 hours 46 minutes 49 seconds
7. Jorge Villegas (Mexico) 7 hours 55 minutes 5 seconds
8. Alwi Makki (Saudi Arabia) 8 hours 2 minutes 49 seconds
9. Marawan Saleh (Syria) 8 hours 9 minutes 53 seconds
10. Raul Villagomez (Mexico) 8 hours 10 minutes 12 seconds
11. Magdy Mandour (Egypt) 8 hours 14 minutes 24 seconds and Maher Saleh (Syria) 8 hours 14 minutes 24 seconds
13. Alberto Santiago (Argentina) 8 hours 24 minutes 41 seconds
14. Christine Cossette (Canada) 8 hours 42 minutes 15 seconds
15. Ossama Rachad (Egypt) 8 hours 53 minutes 29 seconds
16. Loreen Passfield (Canada) 8 hours 56 minutes 59 seconds
17. Mona Aly Hossen (Egypt) 8 hours 59 minutes 38 seconds
18. Joke Van Staveren (Netherlands) 9 hours 0 minutes 12 seconds
OTL Ibrahim Moustafa Feidalla (Egypt, 10h4m15s), Anwar Saleh (Saudi Arabia, 10h13m56s), Rémi Meunier (Canada 11h29m45s) DNF Carlos Aguirre Argentina, 8h01m), Luis Prado Medel (Mexico, 5h40m), James Barry (USA, 4h30m)

1st Traversée Internationale du lac Memphrémagog

On 12 August 1979, he won the Traversée Internationale du lac Memphrémagog in Quebec, Canada.

1. John Kinsella (USA)
2. Claudio Plit (Argentina) 10 hours 44 minutes
3. Jorge Villegas (Mexico)
4. Juan Carlos Tellez Mosqueda (Mexico)
5. Penny Lee Dean (USA) 11 hours 4 minutes - first woman
6. Nasser El-Shazly (Egypt)
7. Ossama Rashad (Egypt)
8. Joke Van Staveren (Netherlands)
DNF Mohamed Gamig (Canada)
DNF Sultan Kigab (Sudan)
DNF Jose Luis Prado Medel (Mexico)
DNF Loreen Passfield (Canada)
DNF Maher Saley (Syria)
DNF Marwan Saley (Syria)

International Swimming Hall of Fame

Kinsella's International Swimming Hall of Fame induction description is as follows:

FOR THE RECORD: OLYMPIC GAMES: 1968 silver (1500m freestyle); 1972 gold (relay); WORLD RECORDS: 4 (400m, 1500m freestyle; 2 relays); AAU NATIONALS 11 (200yd, 400yd, 500yd 1650ye, 400m 1500m, 4 mile freestyle); NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS: 6 (500yd, 1650yd freestyle; 2 relays); AMERICAN RECORDS: 9 (500yd, 1650yd, 400m, 1500m, 1 mile freestyle; 1 relay); 1970 Sullivan Award; World Professional Marathon Champion: 1975, 1976, 1978, 1979.

John Kinsella was a big, big swimmer at 6 ft. 3 in. and 200 lbs. He won the Sullivan Award as the USA's #1 amateur athlete of the year in 1970, halfway between his two Olympics. He was the dominant high school middle distance swimmer, swimming for Don Watson in Hinsdale, Illinois, and the dominant college middle distance swimmer for Doc Counsilman's Indiana University. He also dominated and set records lasting 12 years in the U.S. National AAU. Afterwards, in his professional career, Kinsella was unbeatable, being declared the World's Professional Champion on a point system including all sanctioned races from 1975 through 1979. During this time he won races across Lake Ontario, the English Channel, and all around the world circuit, usually in world record time. He retired in 1979 with no more swimming worlds to conquer having used his professional earnings to put himself through Harvard Business School. As a milestone achievement, Kinsella was the first swimmer in history to break 16 minutes for the 1500 Meter swim in 1970.

1975 24 Heures La Tuque Results

1. Sandra Bucha + John Kinsella: 191 tours
2. Magdy Mandour + Marawan Ghazzawi: 181 tours
3. Maher Saleh + Marwan Saleh: 180 tours
4. Ossama Rashad + Amed Youssef: 177 tours
5. Jennifer Anderson + Richard Campion: 169 tours
6. James Stewart + Baher Hamid: 162 tours
7. Sahar Mansour + Diana Nyad: 161 tours
8. Jacques Fordham + Daniel Piché: 135 tours
9. Yvon Montpetit + Georges Blazy: 133 tours
10. Gilles Potvin + Raymond Cusson: 109 tours
Amateurs: Johanne Thomson + Jocelyn Dufort + Michael Dumond + Jean Boudreault: 180 tours

External links

• Doc Counsilman Helped Usher In An Increasingly Graying Trend In Channel Swimming
• Building A Legacy In The Open Water
• Remembering Bill Heiss
• The Swimming Evolution – From Briefs To Jammers
• Champions, Adventurers, Record Holders, Endurers And Supporters In The Hall Of Fame
• Deeds Of Distinction In The Open Water Swimming World
• Maratona del Golfo Capri-Napoli Honored By International Marathon Swimming Hall Of Fame
• David Alleva Wins 1989 Atlantic City Around The Island Swim
• Michele Barbucia Wins, Ned Denison Swims The Maratona del Golfo Capri-Napoli
• Arianna Bridi, Ana Marcela Cunha Go 1-2 Overall at Maratona Del Golfo Capri-Napoli
• Looking Up Into The Sky For Energy At 24 Heures La Tuque
• Gilles Potvin Recalls His Swimming & Coaching Past On WOWSA Live
• ElShazly – Father And Son – Hall Of Famers On WOWSA Live
• Sid Cassidy Talks About Olympic, Professional Swimming On WOWSA Live
• Carlos Larriera Remembers Pro Marathon Racing On WOWSA Live
• When The Machine Dominated, A Look At The Pro Circuit In 1977
• Martin + Borut Strel Talk Guitars, Goggles, Gigabytes On WOWSA Live
• Sandra Bucha Talks About Seeking Opportunities On WOWSA Live
• Claudio Plit Talks About Internal and External Adventure On WOWSA Live
• Igor de Souza Talks About Mental Preparation On WOWSA Live
• James Kegley Describes His Journey On WOWSA Live
• Paul Asmuth Talks About Racing And Solo Swimming On WOWSA Live
• Marathon Swimming Hall Of Famers At The Olympics
• The Perfect Open Water Man
• The Perfect Open Water Woman
• The Year That Boosted Walter Poenisch To (The Hall Of) Fame
• International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame website
• International Swimming Hall of Fame website
• International Swimming Hall of Fame Honor Swimmer John Kinsella
• Sports Illustrated on 24 Heures La Tuque
• Channeling His Energy, Sports Illustrated
• The Machine Cranks Up, $50,000 Pepsi Challenge
• As Predictable As A Cowboy Movie
• Big Orange Country See Red
• Round And Round They Swam 24 Hours In 15°C
• Pool vs. Open Water Swimming, A Different Intensity
• The Different Generations Of Open Water Swimmers
• ISHOF vs. IMSHOF, Greatness Defined Two Ways
• With A Valiant Heart, Nothing Is Impossible
• Traversée internationale du lac St-Jean
• Gilles Potvin Still Passionate 71 Years Into It
• World Professional Marathon Swimming Federation
• The Perfect Female Open Water Swimmer
• The Perfect Male Open Water Swimmer
• Thrice As Nice, Swimming Across Lake Ontario
• Marathon Swimming
• Open Water Swimming
• Solo Swims of Ontario
• Don Watson To Be Honoured In Cork
• John Kinsella Introduces Hall Of Famer John Kinsella
• Don Watson Coaching Swimmers To The Hall Of Fame
• The Heart Of Lions
• Sandra Bucha Inducted In International Marathon Swimming Hall Of Fame
• What Goes Around Comes Around
• You Are A Newbie Swimmer If...
• Champions, Adventurers, Record Holders And Endurers
• Who Will Top Maratón Acuática Santa Fe - Coronda in 2014?
• What Makes Great Swimmers?
• The Swimming Evolution - From Briefs To Jammers
• The Perfect Ideal Of A Male Swimmer
• Veljko Rogošić's Moje Najteže Milje - His Hardest Mile
• Sandra Bucha Inducted In ISHOF
• Crème de la Crème Of The Open Water World
• What Are Swimmers Known As?
• Our Good Man Watson
• Fastest English Channel Crossings By Olympic Swimmers
• 1978, The Year That Was
• World Open Water Swimming Association
• Open Water Swimming
• Marathon Swimming
• The Briliance And Creativity Of Sarah Thomas
• Heroes And Heroines From Hinsdale
• Michael Phelps Moves Towards The Open Water
• Open Water Swimming Dual Inductees And Dual Honorees