Open Water Swimming Trivia Answers

The answers to yesterday's open water swimming trivia quiz are below.

Q1. What city gave Gertrude Ederle a ticker-tape parade? For extra credit, what year?
A1. New York City (in 1926).

Q2. What year did the La Jolla Rough Water Swim start?
A2. 1916 (near San Diego, California).

Q3. Who was the first person to swim across the Cook Strait? For extra credit, what year?
A3. Barry Devonport in 1962 (in 11 hours and 20 minutes).

Q4. What famous beach did Keo Nakama finish on when he became the first person to swim across the Molokai Channel?
A4. Hanauma Bay (on Oahu).

Q5. What serious illness did the Olympic 10K Marathon Swim gold medalist from The Netherlands overcome?
A5. (Maarten van der Weijden overcame) leukemia.

Q6. What famous professional swimmer got disqualified during the Olympic 10K Marathon Swim in Beijing?
A6. Vladimir Dyatchin (of Russia for two yellow cards).

Q7. What two islands did Lynne Cox swim between when she crossed the Bering Strait?
A7. Little Diomede (of the US) and Big Diomede (of Russia).

Q8. From 1978 to 2005, two Americans consecutively held the English Channel record. Who were they?
A8. Penny Lee Dean (from 1978 to 1994) and Chad Hundeby (from 1994 to 2005).

Q9. Who was Petar Stoychev's escort boat pilot when he became the first person to break 7 hours across the English Channel?
A9. Michael Oram.

Q10. What American swimmer won seven World Professional Marathon Swimming Federation titles during the 1980’s? For extra credit, whose record did he break?
A10. Paul Asmuth broke John Kinsella’s previous record set between 1974 and 1979.

Q11. How many mothers competed in the Olympic 10K Marathon Swim at the Beijing Olympics? For extra credit, who were they?
A11. Two, Angela Maurer of Germany who finished 4th and Edith van Dijk of The Netherlands who finished 14th.

Q12. In what country is the longest professional marathon swimming race held? For extra credit, how long is this race?
A12. Argentina, the 88K (54 miles) Hernandarias-Parana FINA Grand Prix race.

Q13. Who is the current chairman of the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame? For extra credit, how is the current secretary?
A13. Kevin Murphy (of the UK). Dale Petranech is the secretary.

Q14. Have more than 15,000 people compete in the Midmar Mile nearly every year since 2005? For extra credit, how many Olympic swimmers competed in the 2009 Midmar Mile?
A14. Yes, 13 Olympians competed in 2009.

Q15. Do more people compete in the Sun Moon Lake International Swim in Taiwan than the Vansbrosimningen race in Sweden?
A15. Yes (nearly 22,000 people swim the Sun Moon Lake International Swim and over 8,000 people compete in the Vansbrosimningen).

Q16. How much money is won by the male and female winners of the RCP Tiburon Mile?
A16. US$10,000.

Q17. When was the Rottnest Channel first swum? For extra credit, who did it?
A17. Gerd von Dincklage-Schulenburg on January 24th, 1956.

Q18. How far was the longest professional marathon swim ever held in America? For extra credit, where was the race held and how many people finished the race?
A18. 60 miles across Lake Michigan in 1963 with only two finishers (Abou-Heif and Ted Erickson).

Q19. What colors are the warning and disqualification cards in competitive open water swimming?
A19. Yellow for warnings and red for disqualification.

Q20. How many transponders are used by each swimmer in FINA races or at the Olympics?
A20. Two – one on each wrist.

Q21. What open water swimming distances are raced at the FINA World Swimming Championships and the FINA World Open Water Swimming Championships?
A21. 5K, 10K and 25K.

Q22. How many professional open water swimming circuits are sanctioned by FINA? For extra credit, what is the formal name of these pro circuits?
A22. Two, the FINA 10KM Marathon Swimming World Cup and the FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix.

Q23. Where will the Olympic 10K Marathon Swim be held at the 2012 London Olympics?
A23. The Serpentine (a man-made lake in Hyde Park in London).

Q24. Where will 2009 World Swimming Championships be held?
A24. Ostia, Rome.

Q25. Who is considered the best professional marathon swimmer in the world today? Hint: She won the 2008 Olympic 10K Marathon Swim. For extra credit, what country is she from?
A25. Larisa Ilchenko from Russia.