Cheryl Reinke

Cheryl Reinke, 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

Cheryl Reinke is a 53-year-old engineer from York, South Carolina, a former collegiate swimmer and an active marathon swimmer who runs the Rock Hill Masters swim team in upstate South Carolina and competes for the Palmetto Masters team.

Pool Swimming Career

• She was one of the top swimmers in the 2012 Go The Distance program by U.S. Masters Swimming.

Open Water Swimming Career

• She has completed the Swim Around Key West
• She won the 19.3 km Swim Around Charleston in South Carolina in 4 hours 41 minutes 16 seconds in 2015 at the age of 51.
• She finished third in the 19.3 km Swim Around Charleston in South Carolina in 4 hours 50 minutes 47 seconds in 2014 at the age of 50.
• She was the 2nd fastest swimmer overall and the fastest woman in the 2015 SCAR Swim Series (SCAR Swim Challenge) after finishing the 15.2 km Saguaro Lake crossing, 14.4 km Canyon Lake crossing, 27.3 km Apache Lake crossing, and 10 km Roosevelt Lake crossing in 16 hours 42 minutes 46.3 seconds on 9 May 2015.
  • She finished 2nd overall in Day Two at the S.C.A.R. Swim Challenge in Canyon Lake in 3:14:36.6.
  • She finished 5th overall in Day One at the S.C.A.R. Swim Challenge in Saguaro Lake in 3:20:29.0.
• She finished 6th overall and second woman in the 2015 Swim the Suck in Tennessee in 3:04:23.75.
• She finished 1st overall in the 18.3-mile (29.4 km) Stage 1 8 Bridges Hudson River Swim in New York in 4 hours 58 minutes
• She completed the 19.8-mile (31.8 km) Stage 2 of the 2016 8 Bridges Hudson River Swim in New York in 7 hours 57 minutes
• She completed Stage 3 of the 2016 8 Bridges Hudson River Swim in New York in 4 hours 17 minutes
• She completed 15.3-mile Stage 4 of the 2016 8 Bridges Hudson River Swim in New York in 4 hours 10 minutes
• She is a 7-stager by completing all 7 stages of the 2016 8 Bridges Hudson River Swim in a cumulative time of 38 hours 43 minutes, the fourth fastest in history.
• She was nominated for the 2016 World Open Water Swimming Woman of the Year category in the WOWSA Awards, a recognition of outstanding men, women, performances and offerings around the globe sponsored by the World Open Water Swimming Association.
• She finished third overall in the 57.9 km END-WET event down the Red River from Grand Forks, North Dakota to Oslo, Minnesota in the United States on 16 June 2018 in 10 hours 45 minutes.
• She was named one of the World's 50 Most Adventurous Open Water Women in 2019 by the World Open Water Swimming Association.
• On 13 July 2019, she DNF'ed the 45.9 km 20 Bridges Swim around Manhattan Island, New York at the age of 54.

2016 World Open Water Swimming Woman of the Year Nomination

Cheryl Reinke competes against athletes half her age or less - both in the pool and open water - and still occasionally comes out on top. This year, the masters swim team coach topped herself with a victory in the world's longest swim race: the 7-stage 120-mile (193 km) 8 Bridges Hudson River Swim in New York. Faced with a friendly rivalry against Paige Christie, the duo pushed each other to their outer limits over the week-long stage swim down the Hudson River. Reinke constantly faced chop, currents and competition that led to a dramatic race resulting in her 38 hour 43 minute victory. For demonstrating that older women can still maintain their athleticism and have a sporting chance against people the age of their children, for continuously seeking to push herself in the second half of her life, for mentoring and inspiring others of all ages to maintain a healthy lifestyle through aquatics, Cheryl Reinke is a worthy nominee for the 2016 World Open Water Swimming Woman of the Year.

2017 World's 50 Most Adventurous Open Water Women

Reinke was named to the 2017 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
3. 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
7. 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
13. 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
17. 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
23. 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
27. 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)
30. Jaimie Monahan, ice/winter/marathon/channel swimmer from the USA
31. Nuala Moore, marathon/ice swimmer, second, author and lecturer from Ireland
32. Victoria Mori, ice/winter/professional marathon swimmer from Argentina
33. Tina Neill, marathon/channel/backstroker/extreme relay swimmer from the USA
34. Anna-Carin Nordin, Oceans Seven/ice swimmer from Sweden
35. Renata Nováková, ice/winter swimmer from the Czech Republic
36. Magda Okurková, ice/winter swimmer from the Czech Republic
37. Penny Palfrey, channel/marathon/extreme swimmer from Australia
38. Ranie Pearce, marathon/channel swimmer from the USA
39. 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
43. 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)
47. 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

External links

• The History of Swimming 4 Long Days In SCAR
• 2017 World's 50 Most Adventurous Open Water Women
• Swimming In Stages Down The Hudson River
• S.C.A.R. Day One In Saguaro
• Christine Cossette, Elizabeth Fry Extend The Possible
• S.C.A.R. Swim Challenge
• Rockhill Masters
• U.S. Masters Swimming bio
• How Great To Swim All Eight; How Fun To Do Just One
• Stephen Rouch Joins 7 Luminaries In 8 Bridges
• World Open Water Swimming Association
• Open Water Swimming
• Marathon Swimming
• Daily News of Open Water Swimming
• A Mindset To Swim Mega Miles
• Stately, Splendid, Stunning Swim Around Charleston
• Swim Around Charleston With A Lifetime Of Experience
• Swim Until The C.O.W.S. Come Home
• Cheryl Reinke Wins 8 Bridges Stage 1
• Christie vs. Reinke Recalls Van Der Byl vs. Davies Battle
• Paige Christie Overcomes Conditions At 8 Bridges
• Cheryl Reinke Extends Slight Lead Under 8 Bridges
• Four For Cheryl Reinke At 8 Bridges
• Touting Jamie Under 8 Bridges
• Top Duo Duel Each Other And Weather
• Goose Bumps While Swimming The 8 Bridges
• Cheryl Reinke, Paige Christie Go 7 For 7 At 8 Bridges
• 51 Years Young With No Plans To Slow Down
• 2016 WOWSA Awards Nominees
• 2016 World Open Water Swimming Man of the Year Nominees
• 2016 World Open Water Swimming Woman of the Year Nominees
• 2016 World Open Water Swimming Performance of the Year Nominees
• 2016 World Open Water Swimming Offering of the Year Nominees
• Charleston, A Gift To The Marathon Swimming Community
• Sandra Frimerman-Bergquist Gets To End First
• 8 Bridges Hudson River Swim
• They Did It
• 2019 World's 50 Most Adventurous Open Water Women
• Adrienne Groccia Sets Record In Stage 4 Of 8 Bridges