|
ABOUT THE MIGHTY MERMAIDS
Lisa Bennett, currently residing in the Richmond, Virginia
area, began swimming at the age of 12, continuing through high school
and college. She started with USMS in 1981, and her times were faster
than high school or college. She swam her US record in 1984 and
has earned 8 US records, two being world records. Since 1984 she
has been ranked in the USMS Top Ten 147 times. In 1992 she broke
two world records during one swim by using the official split during
her swim to break one of the world records. She has always been
a sprinter, however during her swimming career she has placed second
in the Chesapeake Bay Swim (4.4 miles), and many first places in
1 and 2 mile open water swims. In 2006 she won the 5K pool National
Championship. She has been an All-American with USMS for over 30
events, both in the pool and distance and open water events. She
most recently won the National Championship 1 mile open water lake
swim, and was the first woman ever to have won the Navy SEAL reunion
swim (2006).
Lisa is a former FBI Agent who "changed careers" to raise
her two children. She has coached swimming part-time for the past
thirty years.
Jenny Cook, the "baby" of the group, was born
and raised in California, and is a veteran Trans Tahoe swimmer.
Her merits include wins at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge swim (4.4 miles)
in 1999 and 2003; Waikki Roughwater swim (2.4 miles) winner for
seven years; Alcatraz Swim winner (2000 and 2004) and has earned
31 USMS Top 10 fasted times from 2003 - 2006. She has earned All-American
status in 2005; World Top Ten times from 2004-2006, and USMS Long
Distance All-American in 2006 along with All World Relay status.
Note: To qualify as All-American, one must post the fastest
time for the year in an event/age group in at least one of the official
courses or in a Long Distance Championship.
Jenny returned to swimming at the age of 39 after a 21-year break.
Her desire for fitness and friendship turned into many years of
setting and reaching her goals as being one of the fastest female
Masters swimmers in the world. Jenny has lived in Los Angeles, California
since 1980 and is a travel agent. She loves to experience what the
world has to offer, especially when it comes to swimming.
Christie Plank Ciraulo is our second contingency from the
west coast. Due to "pre-title nine" there was no college
swimming for her to continue with after age-group swimming. But
at the age of 40 she got re-acquainted with the pool and has been
racking up the titles ever since. She has earned 115 spots on the
USMS Top Ten lists since 1995. From 2000-2007, she made the Federation
Internationale de Natation (FINA) World Top Ten, and in 2004 and
2006 received FINA All- World recognition. From 2004-2006 Christy
also made USMS All-American. She was a USMS National Champion in
2004 and 2005, and in 2006 and 2007 a USMS Long Distance National
Champion, earning All-American status as well.
Christy is a seasoned veteran of open water swimming. She was the
Southern Pacific Masters Association (SPMS) Roughwater champion
from 2000-2002 and 2004-2007. She was beat out in 2003 by her teammate,
Jenny Cook.
Christie has four children and five grandchildren, and the sixth
on the way.
Karen Farnsworth Einsilder hails from New Jersey. She swam
AAU much of her early life as well as college swimming. She began
as a sprinter in freestyle and backstroke; however as a Masters
swimmer she improved all of her times and began a path to distance
events. Karen swam the English Channel in 1987 and has many swims
around Manhattan, holding the American record at one time for that
event. She has earned All-American for many long distance events
as well as pool events over the years, and since her beginning with
USMS, has earned 132 Top Ten positions, most of which have been
the top spot, earning her All-American status. She has also made
the All Star team in pool events as well as long distance (the top
point scorer over a season in her age group). She still holds the
records in the 45-49 age group for the 10K, 3,000 and 6,000 yard
postal races. Karen's accomplishments are too long to list, but
she has held nine world records since 1991 and a total of 19 number
one rankings in the world since 1985.
One of the toughest 10K races Karen has ever won came after one
of her surgeries for breast cancer. She is a survivor and this has
undoubtedly been the toughest race of her life. This demonstrates
Karen's determination, strength and desire to live life to the fullest.
She wants to demonstrate to others how important swimming has been
in this battle. Karen is the mother of ten-year-old triplets and
has a career as an attorney, further demonstrating her strengths
and dedication in life.
Tracy Grilli, from New Hampshire, was instrumental in putting
together this relay team. She wanted six women who have not only
the best abilities, but who have shared their experiences with others,
and who have given back to the swimming community either through
encouragement, coaching, or participation. Tracy is the National
Office Administrator for USMS and over the years has dedicated herself
to promoting and building Masters Swimming all over the World.
Tracy started competing at the age of five and swam through high
school and college. Tracy has been swimming USMS for many years
and is one of the top long distance freestylers in the US. She has
earned several Long Distance and Pool All-American awards, and has
consistently been ranked in the USMS and World Top Ten. She has
130 US Top Ten titles under her belt. She recently won the 200,
400 and 1500 freestyle events at the 2007 USMS National Championship.
Tracy is married and has two college-aged children.
Nancy Steadman-Martin, also from New Jersey, began swimming
at a very early age for her father, the late Dick Steadman, a dedicated
and well-respected coach at Monmouth College. She swam her first
open water swims at the age of 11, one being the Miss American Pageant
Ocean Swim (this will be her 40th year in that race). She has swum
around Manhattan Island (28.4 miles) in 1984, 2000, 2003 and 2007,
and in 2004 was the overall winner in the 22 mile Tampa Bay Swim.
In 2004, Nancy swam the English Channel in just over 11 hours; in
2005, she won her age-group for the 10K race in Ft. Myers, FL, and
in 2006 she set the American record for a swim from New York to
New Jersey swimming in 60 degree water and air temperature of 40
degrees. Nancy recently won her division in the USMS 10K Championship
in New York, and the 800 meter freestyle event at the 2007 USMS
National Championship. Nancy has earned several USMS All-American
spots over the years as well.
Nancy is an attorney in Little Silver, New Jersey and has been
married for 24 years. She has one stepson. Her father was extremely
instrumental in her desire to swim, and it is no wonder that since
his death she feels a close connection to him while swimming the
distance events. Nancy feels strongly about our ability as a team
to prevail, and she has summed it up: "Too often women don't
work together for success, so I think it is really special that
we will be doing this relay as 'fifty-something' females. When looking
at everyone's accomplishments, just think what we can do together."
As one can see, there are over 300 years of experience and dedication
to the sport of swimming. For this Trans Tahoe event, it is the
hope and goal of the Mighty Mermaids to promote swimming for life
and help sponsor the Cambridge Breast Center. [Donate Online to
the Cambridge Breast Center]
This race is one of the toughest, especially due to the cold water
temperature, and we would like to encourage others to get involved
in swimming, not only for fitness and competition, but for the great
self-confidence it builds and the fantastic camaraderie and team
work that it offers.
|
