Nikko Price, a 30-year-old from Branford, Connecticut and a marathon swimming veteran, was touted as the race favorite having previously won the 25 km Swim Across the Sound and Swim Around Key West in Florida – and he did not disappoint on Day One of the 2024 SCAR Swim Challenge, quickly outswimming the other 44 swimmers who competed in the Arizona desert.

Race director Kent Nicholas confirmed before the race start, “The water temperature is perfect, the four lakes are over 90% filled to capacity, and no rain is in the forecast.”

The water temperature at the start of Day One in Saguaro Lake was measured at 14.4°C (58°F) under sunny skies with a scattering of cloud cover. The water ultimately warmed up to 24°C (75°F) that was quite a surprise to the field that was not expecting such warm water temperatures.

The three waves all started under tranquil conditions – with zero wind and no surface chop. The conditions continued for most of the swim, although there were occasional bursts of warm winds that churned up the surface a bit.

All in all, it was a much-welcomed great start to one of the world’s most unique, beautiful open water swimming competitions.

Day Two tomorrow starts early in Canyon Lake. Day Three is a long leg across Apache Lake with a night swim to culminate SCAR in Roosevelt Lake. Throughout the swimmers and their escort kayakers continue amid dramatic landscapes.

Saguaro Lake Finishers

1. Nikko Price, New York 3:10:15.3
2. Jay Eckert, Florida 3:13:23.5
3. David McGlynn, Wisconsin 3:20:48.4
4. Steve Leitch, South Carolina 3:23:17.8
5. Lorelei Schmidt, North Carolina 3:23:21.9
6. Taylor Stallings-Pinnick, Florida 3:28:08.6
7. Emily Lane, Colorado 3:35:44.4
8. James McDonald, California 3:38:56.3
9. Allison Crush, Tennessee 3:39:28.0
10. Mackenzie Thomas, California 3:43:57.8
11. Eric Kinney, California 3:45:56.4
12. Malena Hankins, Georgia 3:46:14.5
13. Erica S. Esterly, Arizona 3:48:41.5
14. Mike Gregory, Australia 3:50:34.5
15. Grabiela Rojas Molina, Venezuela 3:52:05.2
16. Mary Singer, Washington 3:58:17.0
17. Lars Durban, Washington 4:05:03.3
18. Eric Durban, Washington 4:05:07.3
19. Sara Stevenson, South Carolina 4:06:36.2
20. Rob Forst, Texas 4:07:16.2
21. Erika Gliebe, California 4:10:11.2
22. Dana Price, Arizona 4:11:15.6
23. Kerston Corns, Arizona 4:13:23.0
24. Antonio Argüelles, Mexico 4:17:28.2
25. Susie Paul, Arizona 4:17:44.6
26. Peter Hayden, California 4:18:02.3
27. Carol Wortman, Maryland 4:20:09.6
28. Marnie Whitley, Arizona 4:21:30.2
29. Robin Batchelor, North Carolina 4:23:34.4
30. Andrew Wallace, New Jersey 4:26:28.0
31. Cecelia Wigal, Tennessee 4:26:49.4
32. William Polson, Virginia 4:27:56.5
33. Jennifer Dutton, Florida 4:28:18.3
34. Shelley Stewart, Florida 4:30:49.1
35. Jamie Tout, Texas 4:38:29.1
36. Jennifer Irwin, Arizona 4:42:49.2
37. Gina Harden, Florida 4:59:59.3
38. Terri Dietz, Hawaii 5:05:02.9
39. Marysue Balazic, Washington 5:27:57.6
40. Tom Linthicum, California 5:28:43.0
41. Kristiana Fox, Arizona 5:40:04.5
42. Melissa Housmyer, Washington DNF

2024 Swimmer List:

1. Allison Crush
2. Andrew Wallace – see MSF marathon swimming resume here – 2022 SCAR veteran
3. Antonio Argüelles – see MSF marathon swimming resume here – Oceans Seven swimmer and Triple Crown veteran
4. Bradley Lundblad – see MSF marathon swimming resume here – 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2021, 2023 SCAR veteran
5. Carol Wortman – see MSF marathon swimming resume here
6. Cecelia Wigal – see MSF marathon swimming resume here
7. Dana Price – see MSF marathon swimming resume here – 2022 SCAR veteran
8. David McGlynn
9. Edie Markovich – see MSF marathon swimming resume here – 2021 SCAR veteran
10. Emily Lane – see MSF marathon swimming resume here
11. Eric Durban – see MSF marathon swimming resume here – 2022 SCAR veteran
12. Eric Kinney
13. Erica Esterly – see MSF marathon swimming resume here
14. Erika Gliebe
15. Gina Harden – see MSF marathon swimming resume here – 2021 SCAR veteran
16. Grabiela Rojas Molina
17. Heather Fairbanks – see MSF marathon swimming resume here
18. James McDonald – see MSF marathon swimming resume here
19. Jamie Tout – see MSF marathon swimming resume here – 2016, 2018, 2021 SCAR veteran
20. Janelle Westfall
21. Janet Craig – 2023 SCR veteran
22. Jay Eckert
23. Jennifer Dutton – see MSF marathon swimming resume here – 2019, 2023 SCAR veteran
24. Jennifer Irwin
25. Jennifer Murphy
26. Jennifer Whitlock – see MSF marathon swimming resume here
27. John Collins
28. Julia Ver Voort
29. Kerston Corns
30. Kristiana E Fox – 2023 SCAR veteran
31. Lars Durban – see MSF marathon swimming resume here – 2022 SCAR veteran
32. Laura Ruberto
33. Lorelei Schmidt – see MSF marathon swimming resume here
34. Mackenzie Thomas
35. Madison Carioty
36. Malena Hankins – see MSF marathon swimming resume here
37. Marnie Whitley – 2021, 2022 SCAR veteran
38. Mary Singer – see MSF marathon swimming resume here
39. Marysue Balazic – 2023 SCAR veteran
40. Melissa Housmyer – 2023 SCAR veteran
41. Michelle Squyer – see MSF marathon swimming resume here – 2019 and 2020 SCAR veteran
42. Mike Gregory – see MSF marathon swimming resume here – Triple Crown veteran
43. Mike Healey – 2022, 2023 SCAR veteran
44. Nikko Price – see MSF marathon swimming resume here
45. Paul Valitutto – see MSF marathon swimming resume here
46. Peter Hayden – see MSF marathon swimming resume here – 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2023 SCAR veteran
47. Rob Forst – 2022, 2023 SCAR veteran
48. Robin Batchelor – see MSF marathon swimming resume here
49. Sara Stevenson
50. Sara Wolf – see MSF marathon swimming resume here
51. Shelley Stewart – see MSF marathon swimming resume here
52. Sophia Bouhaddou
53. Stefan Reinke – see MSF marathon swimming resume here – 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2022, and 2023 SCAR vetera
54. Steven Sherry – see MSF marathon swimming resume here – 2023 SCAR veteran
55. Taylor Stallings-Pinnick – 2023 SCAR veteran
56. Terri Dietz
57. Tom Linthicum – see MSF marathon swimming resume here – 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2021 SCAR veteran
58. William Polson
59. Steve Moby Leitch – see MSF marathon swimming resume here

Sights From Day One

Jamie Tout, Kathleen Wilson, Antonio Argüelles

Tom Linthicum pulling triple duty as a boat pilot, swimmer, and all-around volunteer

Swimmer Antonio Argüelles with escort kayaker Chris Morgan (both above and below)

For more information, visit www.scarswim.com. For additional photos and information, visit Facebook here.

MSF = Marathon Swimmers Federation (see here).

© 2024 Daily News of Open Water Swimming

“to educate, enthuse, and entertain all those who venture beyond the shoreline”