Elizabeth Fry

From Openwaterpedia
Elizabeth Fry was nominated for the 2019 WOWSA Awards in the World Open Water Swimming Woman of the Year category
Elizabeth Fry, a nominee for the 2016 WOWSA Awards, a recognition of outstanding men, women, performances and offerings around the globe sponsored by the World Open Water Swimming Association in the World Open Water Swimming Woman of the Year category
Marcy MacDonald and Elizabeth Fry on Sandy Beach after swimming 17 hours 30 minutes across the 42 km Molokai Channel from Molokai Island to Oahu in Hawaii on 9-10 April 2016
Liz Fry is nominated for the 2015 World Open Water Swimming Woman of the Year, a WOWSA Award that recognizes outstanding men, women and offerings around the globe
Liz Fry swimming into the sunrise at Apache Lake with her sister Peggy Gaskill and brother-in-law Peyton Gaskill as kayakers
Liz Fry, Honour Swimmer, inducted in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame in 2014. Photo courtesy of Kevin Hagan of the Daily News
Vermont Open Water Swimming Hall of Fame, Honor Marathon Swimmer and Contributor Administrator
Peggy Gaskill with her sister Liz Fry at the Tsugaru Channel in northern Japan

Elizabeth Anne Fry (born 28 October 1958) is a 61-year-old financial services consultant from Connecticut, U.S.A. and a record-setting marathon swimmer with numerous channel crossings.

Open Water Swimming Highlights

Guinness World Records


Liz Fry was honored by the Guinness World Records for being the oldest person to achieve the Oceans Seven.

Oceans Seven Swims

Great Lakes Crossings

  • Lake Ontario: on 11 September 2017 at age 58 years 315 days, she registered the fastest American female time for the traditional 50.5 km crossing from Queen’s Royal Park, Niagara-on-the-Lake to Marilyn Bell Park. She completed the swim from south to north in 15 hours 46 minutes 16 seconds. The start of the swim was at 12:31 am. This was the latest swim-date recorded for this Lake Ontario course.
  • Lake Huron: on 10-11 August 2018, she became the oldest woman at the age 59 years 287 days and first American swimmer to cross 55 km (34.5-mile) Lake Huron without the aid of a wetsuit. Her time of 20 hours 53 minutes 53 seconds set a new record and was faster than both the men's and women's time for this course from Port Sanilac, Michigan (43.433139N, 82.537083W) to Port Franks Beach, Ontario (43.2302611N, 81.9164833W)
  • Lake Michigan: on 3 September 2020 at the age of 61 years 310 days, she swam 56 km from Promontory Point, Chicago, Illinois to Washington Park Beach, Michigan City, Indiana in 21 hours 45 minutes 6 seconds.
  • Lake Erie: on 25 June 2022 at the age of 63 years 240 days, she swam 19.2 km (12 miles) from Sturgeon Point, New York (42 41' 30" N, 79 02' 36" W) to Crystal Beach, Ontario, Canada (42 51' 43.6" N, 79 03' 53" W) in 6 hours 43 minutes 58 seconds.
  • Lake Superior: on 24 August 2022 at the age of 63 years 300 days, she swam 28.7 km (17.8 miles) from Whitefish Point, Michigan (46.765917N, 84.948083W) to Pancake Bay, Ontario (46.960500N, 84.710306W) in 9 hours 32 minutes.

Honors

2019 World Open Water Swimming Woman of the Year Nomination

Fry was nominated for the 2019 World Open Water Swimming Woman of the Year award with the following nomination:

Elizabeth Fry continues to do what she loves doing...as she seems to be getting better and better at it. Channel swimming is her thing; marathon swimming is her specialty. She swims and achieves records in a humble, mild-mannered way, smiling and expressing heartfelt appreciate every step of the way to her successes. In addition to serving as the long-time race director of the 25 km St. Vincent's Foundation Swim Across the Sound, she completed a 23 km crossing of the Cook Strait from the North Island to the South Island in New Zealand in 9 hours 32 minutes and a 35 km crossing of the North Channel from Northern Ireland to Scotland in 11 hours 13 minutes at the age of 60 years 301 days to achieve the Oceans Seven and become the oldest person - male or female - to do so. She is role model and an icon to many, always sharing kind words and her boundless energy with anyone who ventures past the shoreline. She faces high stress in the financial services industry by day and swims by choice for relaxation, her preferred aquatic meditation where she continues to impress even the world's most elite marathon swimmers. For becoming the oldest individual to complete the Oceans Seven, for continuing to challenge herself and serve as an iconic role model for marathon swimmers of all ages, and for continuing to support and provide leadership in one of the world's most successful charity swims, Elizabeth Fry is a worthy nominee for the 2019 World Open Water Swimming Woman of the Year.

Vermont Open Water Swimming Hall of Fame Induction

Elizabeth Fry, 56 of Westport, Connecticut, is a marathon swimmer and contributor. Fry is a living legend in the international community of open water swimmers. She completed the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming and has also completed the Reverse Triple. She has double crossed the English Channel (swimming the English Channel a total of 6 times) and double-crossed the Ederle Swim. She has swum across the Molokai Channel in Hawaii and the Tsugaru Channel in Japan and the Round Jersey circumnavigation swim. She double crossed each of the four lakes in the Arizona SCAR Swim Challenge, an unprecedented feat that has yet to be repeated. She made history in Vermont waters, when she joined the inaugural In Search of Memphre in 2011. Battling fierce headwinds through the night, she became the first of four to complete that 25-mile international cross-border swim. In doing so, she broke through the belief that the border was closed to international swimming and re-opened this iconic route for the many more who have followed since. That first year of Memphre, five of the nine solo swimmers did not make it. Liz signed on to return the next year and mentor those who failed to complete the first year. Bill Shipp, David Dammerman, and Jennifer Dutton successfully completed despite another year of strong winds. Liz has always been eager to help marathon swimmers as they take on greater challenges. In doing so, Liz has served as a mentor to Kingdom Swimmers looking to swim ultra distances beyond the fresh waters of Northeast Kingdom lakes, helping them to realize their dreams of channel crossings and circumnavigations in bigger bodies of water.

2015 World Open Water Swimming Woman of the Year Nominees

Fry was nominated for the 2015 World Open Water Swimming Woman of the Year by the World Open Water Swimming Association along with the following nominees:

1. Alex Cape (Canada) Freshwater Adventurer
2. Aurélie Muller (France) Olympian and World Champion
4. Bridgette Hobart Janeczko (U.S.A.) Prolific Marathon Swimmer
4. Chloë McCardel (Australia) Channel Swimmer & Coach
5. Elina Makïnen (Finland) Ice Swimmer
6. Elizabeth Fry (U.S.A.) Double Downing
6. Lorna Cochran (South Africa) Nonagenarian Swimmer
8. Pilar Geijo (Argentina) FINA Grand Prix Champion
9. Rachele Bruni (Italy) Olympian & FINA World Cup Champion
10. Renata Novakova (Czech Republic), Ice Swimming World Champion
11. Sharon Van Rouwendaal (Netherlands) Olympic Cross-over Speedster
12. Tita Llorens (Spain), Marathon Swimmer

2015 World Open Water Swimming Woman of the Year nomination

Fry was nominated for the 2015 World Open Water Swimming Woman of the Year Award as follows:

Elizabeth Fry (U.S.A.) Double Down
Elizabeth Fry is a race director of the 25 km St. Vincent's Foundation Swim Across the Sound who blew the minds of many of the world's elite marathon swimmers. The veteran 56-year-old channel swimmer set another almost unfathomable bar in the open water community to improbable heights. Fry took one of the world's longest open water swimming competitions, the S.C.A.R. Swim Challenge, a 4-day stage swim in Arizona, and obliterated all sense of time and distance. Instead of doing the already-tough 41.6 miles (66.9 km) in the race, Fry simply double downed 84.4 miles (124.8 km): on Day 1, she swam back and forth 19 miles (40.4 km) in Saguaro Lake in 6 hours 42 minutes, on Day 2, she swam 18 miles (28.8 km) two ways in Canyon Lake in 6 hours 26 minutes, on Day 4, she double-crossed 44 miles (54.6 km) Apache Lake in 15 hours 46 minutes, and on Day 4, she double-crossed 12.4 miles (20 km) Roosevelt Lake 6 hours 18 minutes. For her two-timing 46 hour 55 minute S.C.A.R., for challenging herself for 4 consecutive days of double-crossings, and for continuing to support and provide leadership in one of the world's most successful charity swims in Connecticut, Elizabeth Fry is a worthy nominee for the 2015 World Open Water Swimming Woman of the Year.

2016 World Open Water Swimming Woman of the Year nomination

Fry was nominated for the 2016 World Open Water Swimming Woman of the Year as follows:

Elizabeth Fry just keeps going and going. As she works in the mentally exhausting, high stress financial services industry in New York City, her relaxation and calm comes from facing some of the harshest environments on Earth. Not only did she work killer hours in the office, but she also took the time to travel the world and cross Japan's Tsugaru Channel in 15 hours 48 minutes, Hawaii's Molokai Channel in 16 hours 40 minutes, and California's Catalina Channel in 12 hours 46 minutes. In between, the 56-year-old organized the charity swim for the St. Vincent's Foundation in a 25 km Swim Across the Sound and mentored others who wish to emulate the remarkable stamina of one of the world's most prolific marathon swimmers. For her boundless energy that is enhanced by a bright smile and selfless mentoring, for her achievement of the unprecedented Reverse Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming, for being a genuinely humble role model with a remarkable lifestyle balance, Elizabeth Fry is a worthy nominee for the 2016 World Open Water Swimming Woman of the Year.

WOWSA Nomination Video

Lake Huron Crossing

World's 50 Most Adventurous Open Water Women

Fry was named to the list of 2015 World's 50 Most Adventurous Open Water Women by the World Open Water Swimming Association.

Anacapa Island Circumnavigation


by swimmers Ned Denison Liz Fry, and Fionnuala Walsh, escorted by Ben Pitterle, fed by Barbara Flanagan, and observed by Theo Schmeeckle and Lynn Kubasek

2016 World's 50 Most Adventurous Open Water Women

Fry was named to the 2016 World's 50 Most Adventurous Open Water Women by the World Open Water Swimming Association. The women are listed below, alphabetically by last name:

1. Patti Bauernfeind, marathon/channel/relay swimmer from the USA
2. Carina Bruwer, marathon/channel/charity event swimmer from South Africa
4. Charlotte Brynn, marathon/channel/ice swimmer and coach from New Zealand/USA
4. Jessie Campbell, ice/winter swimmer from Great Britain
5. Kimberley Chambers, marathon/channel/extreme/cross-border swimmer from New Zealand/USA
6. Devon Clifford, marathon/channel/open water swimmer from the USA
6. Jackie Cobell, channel/extreme/ice swimmer from Great Britain
8. Lorna Cochran, open water swimmer from South Africa
9. Olive Conroy, ice/winter swimmer from Ireland
10. Anna DeLozier, ice/winter swimmer from the USA
11. Beth French, channel swimmer from Great Britain
12. Elizabeth Fry, marathon/channel swimmer and event organizer from USA
14. Pat Gallant-Charette, channel/marathon swimmer from the USA
14. Pilar Geijo, professional marathon swimmer from Argentina
15. Ines Hahn, ice/winter/professional marathon swimmer from Germany
16. Jessi Harewicz, marathon/channel swimmer from Canada
16. Mariel Hawley Dávila, marathon/channel/cross-border swimmer from Mexico
18. Bárbara Hernández Huerta, winter/extreme swimmer from Chile
19. Bridgette Hobart, event organizer and marathon/channel swimmer from the USA
20. Elaine Howley, marathon/charity/ice swimmer and writer from the USA
21. Linda Kaiser, channel swimmer, advisor and administrator from the USA
22. Lori King, marathon/channel swimmer from the USA
24. Tita Llorens, marathon/channel swimmer from Spain
24. Marcy MacDonald, DPM, marathon/channel swimmer from the USA
25. Elina Makïnen, ice/winter swimmer from Finland
26. Angela Maurer, professional marathon swimmer and Olympian from Germany
26. Chloë McCardel, marathon/channel swimmer and coach from Australia
28. Tiffany McQueen, ocean/marathon swimmer from the USA
29. Sally Minty-Gravett, marathon/channel swimmer and coach from Great Britain (Jersey)
40. Jaimie Monahan, ice/winter/marathon/channel swimmer from the USA
41. Nuala Moore, marathon/ice swimmer, second, author and lecturer from Ireland
42. Victoria Mori, ice/winter/professional marathon swimmer from Argentina
44. Tina Neill, marathon/channel/backstroker/extreme relay swimmer from the USA
44. Anna-Carin Nordin, Oceans Seven/ice swimmer from Sweden
45. Renata Nováková, ice/winter swimmer from the Czech Republic
46. Magda Okurková, ice/winter swimmer from the Czech Republic
46. Penny Palfrey, channel/marathon/extreme swimmer from Australia
48. Ranie Pearce, marathon/channel swimmer from the USA
49. Cheryl Reinke, marathon swimmer from the USA
40. Charlotte Samuels, marathon/channel swimmer from the USA
41. Susan Simmons, marathon swimmer with Multiple Sclerosis from Canada
42. Kate Steels-Fryatt, polar ice miler and ice/winter swimmer from Great Britain
44. Sarah Thomas, marathon/extreme swimmer from the USA
44. Nora Toledano Cadena, marathon/channel/cross-border swimmer from Mexico
45. Natalie du Toit, professional marathon swimmer and Olympian from South Africa
46. Wendy Trehiou, marathon/channel swimmer from Great Britain (Jersey)
46. Wendy Van De Sompele, marathon swimmer and administrator from the USA
48. Samantha Whelpton, winter/ice swimmer from South Africa
49. Sabrina Wiedmer, ice/winter/marathon/channel swimmer from Switzerland
50. Julia Wittig, ice/winter swimmer from Germany

Oceans Seven Swimmers

1st: Stephen Redmond (Ireland)
2nd: Anna-Carin Nordin (Sweden)
3rd: Michelle Macy (USA)
4th: Darren Miller (USA)
5th: Adam Walker (UK)
6th: Kimberly Chambers (New Zealand)
7th: Antonio Argüelles (Mexico)
8th: Ion Lazarenco Tiron (Moldavia/Ireland)
9th: Rohan Dattatrey More (India)
10th: Abhejali Bernardová (Czech Republic)
11th: Cameron Bellamy (South Africa)
12th: Lynton Mortensen (Australia)
13th: Thomas Pembroke (Australia)
14th: Nora Toledano Cadena (Mexico)
15th: Mariel Hawley Dávila (Mexico)
16th: André Wiersig (Germany)
17th: Liz Fry (USA)
18th: Attila Mányoki (Hungary)

External links