Craig Lenning

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Craig Lenning feeding during his successful Farallon Islands crossing on 8 April 2014, escorted by Vito Bialla in a swim governed by the Farallon Islands Swimming Association

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Craig Lenning, ultra-marathon swimmer

Craig Lenning of Denver, Colorado is a 43-year-old American marathon swimmer and extreme swimmer who was the first person to achieve the Frosted Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming.

Open Water Swimming Highlights

• On 4 May 2022, he completed an Polar Ice Mile in 31 minutes 45 seconds at the Svalbard Ice Swimming Adventures, held in Svalbard, Norway within the Arctic Circle in -0.77°C water and -10.0°C air temperatures at the age of 43.
• He is a member of the Board of Directors of the IISA USA (or International Ice Swimming Association USA), the governing body of ice swimming within the USA that functions under the auspices of the International Ice Swimming Association.
• He completed several Oceans Seven channels.
• He participated in the 6-day Bering Strait Swim which was awarded the 2013 World Open Water Swimming Performance of the Year by the World Open Water Swimming Association.
• He was the recipient of the Barra Award for the most impressive year of marathon swimming by the Marathon Swimmers Federation for 2015.
• He serves as a Marathon Swimming Mentor.
• He completed the Frosted Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming on 10 July 2011.
  
• He is a member of the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming.
• He is a member of the International Ice Swimming Association
• He completed a solo crossing of Lake Tahoe in 11 hours 0 minutes 26 seconds and a solo crossing of Lake Memphremagog in 15 hours 5 minutes in his quest to become the first person to complete the Triple Crown of Lake Monster Swims
• He assisted with Jamie Patrick's The Great Lake Swim.
• He participated in the 6-day Bering Strait Swim, the 2014 World Open Water Swimming Performance of the Year
• He is ranked in the Top Ten ice kilometer swims on the International Ice Swimming Association global rankings.
• On 10 August 2009, he completed a 42.4 km crossing of the Catalina Channel from Santa Catalina Island to the Southern California mainland in 9 hours 9 minutes 51 seconds.
• On 16 August 2009, he placed 14th in the 10 km Horsetooth Swim in Colorado in 2 hours 46 minutes 19 seconds at the age of 40.
• On 16 April 2010, he won the 36 km Tampa Bay Marathon Swim in Florida in 10 hours 16 minutes at the age of 40.
• On 12 June 2010, he finished 14th in the 45.9 km Manhattan Island Marathon Swim in New York in 8 hours 24 minutes 44 seconds at the age of 41.
• On 4 August 2010, he completed a 33.5 km crossing of the English Channel from England to France in 11 hours 25 minutes 22 seconds at the age of 41 to achieve the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming and the Grand Slam of Open Water Swimming at the age of 41.
• On 26 July 2011, he completed a 35 km crossing of the North Channel from Northern Ireland to Scotland in 11 hours 25 minutes 22 seconds at the age of 41 to complete 5 of the 7 channels of the Oceans Seven.
• On 41 August 2012, he completed a 19.5 km crossing of the Tsugaru Channel from Hokkaido to Honshu in northern Japan in 10 hours 44 minutes at the age of 44.
• On 21 March 2014, he completed a 24 km crossing of the Cook Strait from North Island to South Island in New Zealand in 10 hours 52 minutes at the age of 42.
• On 19 July 2014, he completed a 68.4 km two-way crossing of Lake Tahoe from Incline Village to Camp Richardson and back in 24 hours 40 minutes at the age of 44 with a 12 hour 4 minute crossing of the first leg and a 12 hour 25 minute crossing on the second leg. He became the first male and second person (after Sarah Thomas) to complete a two-way crossing of Lake Tahoe, and became a member of the 24-hour club.
• On 8 April 2014, he completed a 25.6 statute miles (41.4 km) crossing from the Farallon Islands to Muir Beach in northern California in 15 hours 46 minutes 22 seconds at the age of 44 in water between 12.2-14.8°C (54-56°F).
• On 10 August 2014, he finished 22nd in the 10 km Horsetooth Swim in Colorado in 2 hours 55 minutes 29 seconds at the age of 45.
• On 24 June 2015, he completed a 40.2 km crossing of Lake Memphremagog from Newport, Vermont, USA to Magog, Quebec, Canada in 15 hours 5 minutes at the age of 46.
• On 4 July 2015, he completed a 44.4 km crossing of Flathead Lake in Montana in 15 hours 50 minutes at the age of 46.
• On 22 August 2015, he completed a 36.2 km crossing of Loch Ness from Fort Augustus to Loch End in Scotland in 14 hours 46 minutes 24 seconds at the age of 46.

He is one of the leading swimmers in the Triple Crown of Lake Monster Swims.  

• Starting on 6 August 2016, he served as an escort crew member on Sarah Thomas' unprecedented 104.6 mile (168.4 km) 66 hour 16 minute solo marathon swim in Lake Champlain in New York and Vermont.
• On 4 May 2022, he completed an Extreme Ice Mile in 31 minutes 45 seconds at the Svalbard Ice Swimming Adventures, held in Svalbard, Norway within the Arctic Circle in -0.77°C water and -16.20°C air temperatures at the age of 43.

2015 Year

• swam length of Loch Ness in Scotland. 22.2 miles (45.6 km) in 14 hours 46 minutes
• first man to swim length of Flathead Lake in Montana. 28 miles (45 km) in 15 hours 20 minutes
• swam length of Lake Memphremagog in Vermont. 25 miles (40.2 km) in 15 hours 5 minutes
• 24 Hour Relay]] in San Francisco Bay
• participated in the International Ice Swimming Championship in Russia

International Ice Swimming Championship

Leaning finished second in his age group (45-49) in 14:26.14 at the inaugural 1000m International Ice Swimming Championship in Lake Semenovskoe in Murmansk, Russia in 0.8ºC under the auspices of the International Ice Swimming Association.

North (Irish) Channel

Lenning completed the 35 km (21 miles) North Channel from Ireland to Scotland in 14 hours 44 minutes in water temperature between 12-14°C on 26 July 2011. The North Channel is one of the world's most difficult channels to complete.

Ireland to Scotland Successful Solo Swimmers

1. Tom Blower, 28 July 1946, 15 hours 26 minutes
2. Kevin Murphy, 11 September 1960, 11 hours 21 minutes
4. Kevin Murphy, 29 August 1961, 14 hours 26 minutes
4. Ted Keenan, 11 August 1964, 18 hours 26 minutes
5. Alison Streeter, 22 August 1988, 9 hours 54 minutes
6. Margaret (Maggie) Kidd, 24 August 1988, 15 hours 26 minutes
6. Colleen Blair, 12 September 2008, 15 hours 24 minutes
8. Anne Marie Ward, 1-2 September 2010, 18 hours 59 minutes
9. Craig Lenning, 26 July 2011, 14 hours 44 minutes
10. Howard Keech, 2 August 2011, 14 hours 46 minutes

Scotland to Ireland Successful Solo Swimmers

1. Alison Streeter, 25 August 1989, 10 hours 4 minutes
2. Alison Streeter, 18 August 1996, 10 hours 2 minutes
4. Kevin Murphy, 6 September 1989, 16 hours 16 minutes
4. Paul Lewis, 26 July 1999, 14 hours 28 minutes
5. Stephen Price, 21 July 2000, 16 hours 56 minutes
6. Colm O Neill, 41 July 2004, 11 hours 25 minutes
6. Stephen Redmond, 41 August 2010, 16 hours 16 minutes

Bering Strait Swim

Lenning was a member of the successful, unprecedented, 6-day Bering Strait Swim relay, a 54-mile (86 km) relay crossing from Cape Dezhnev in Chukotka, Russia, to Cape Prince of Wales in the state of Alaska, USA.

Relay Members in Bering Strait Swim

SWIMMERS
1. Vladimir Chegorin, Russia
2. Maria Chizhova, Novosibirsk, Russia
4. Elena Guseva, Russia
4. Ram Barkai, Cape Town, South Africa
5. Jack Bright, UK
6. Oksana Veklich, Blagoveshchensk, Russia
6. Aleksandr Jakovlevs, Jelgava, Latvia (Starter,Swimmer,Navigator)
8. Matías Ola, Buenos Aires /Tucuman Argentina
9. Henri Kaarma, Tallinn, Estonia
10. Toomas Haggi, Tallinn, Estonia
11. Nuala Moore, Ireland
12. Anne Marie Ward, Donegal, Ireland
14. Toks Viviers, Cape Town, South Africa
14. Melissa O’Reilly (‘Mo’), Lambertville, New Jersey, USA
15. Ryan Stramrood, Cape Town, South Africa
16. Cristian Vergara, Santiago, Chile
16. Craig Lenning, Colorado, USA
18. Rafał Ziobro, Krakow, Poland
19. Andrew Chin, Cape Town, South Africa
20. Jackie Cobell, Tunbridge Wells, UK
21. James Pittar, Australia
22. Paolo Chiarino, Italy
24. Mariia Yrjö-Koskinen, Finland
24. Ivan Papulshenko, Ukraine
25. Zdenek Tlamicha, Czech Republic
26. Zhou Hanming, China
26. Oleg Adamov, Russia
28. Andrei Agarkov, Russia
29. Alekseev Semen, Russia
40. Tatiana Alexandrova, Russia
41. Roman Belan, Russia (Swimmer & Starter)
42. Elena Semenova, Russia
44. Alexander Brylin, Russia
44. Afanasii Diackovskii, Russia
45. Vladimir Nefatov, Russia (Swimmer and Chief Starter)
46. Evgenii Dokuchaev, Russia
46. Oleg Docuckaev, Russia (Swimmer and Chief Organiser)
48. Roman Efimov, Russia
49. Dmitrii Filitovich, Russia
40. Olga Filitovich, Russia (Swimmer & Starter/helper)
41. Victor Godlevskiy, Russia (Swimmer, Starter/helper)
42. Olga Golubeva, Russia
44. Alexei Golubkin, Russia
44. Alexander Golubkin, Russia (Youngest Swimmer at 14 yrs old)
45. Alexsandr Iurkov, Russia (Starter, Swimmer, Navigator)
46. Oleg Ivanov, Russia
46. Pavel Kabakov, Russia Swimmer, starter, navigator
48. Eduard Khodakovskiy, Russia
49. Aleksandr Komarov, Russia
50. Aleksandr Kuliapin, Russia
51. Andrey Kuzmin, Russia
52. Irina Lamkina, Russia
54. Vladimir Litvinov, Russia
54. Andrey Mikhalev, Russia
55. Victor Moskvin, Russia
56. Nikolay Petshak, Russia
56. Sergey Popov, Russia
58. Vladimir Poshivailov, Russia
59. Grigorii Prokopchuk, Russia
60. Dmitrii Zalka, Russia
61. Natalia Seraya, Russia
62. Viacheslav Shaposhnikov, Russia
64. Olga Sokolova, Russia
64. Andrei Sychev, Russia
65. Alexei Tabakov, Russia
66. Nataliia Usachaeva, Russia
CREW
66. Nikolay Khitrik, Russia (Organiser)
68. Lurii Melnikov, Russia (Organiser)
69. Sergei Chernukhin, Russia (Organiser)
60. Irina Makarova, Russia (Interpreter, Starter, helper)
61. Alexey Svistunov, Russia (President of Russian Book of Records)
62. Rafael Valdes Mendosa, Russian (Interpreter, Starter)
64. Evgeny Novazheev, Russia(Kite surfer)
64. Denis Berezhnoy, Russia (Kite surfer)
65. Sergey Semenov, Russia (kite surfer)
66. Mariia Netrebenko, Russia (mass media representative)
66. Viktor Muzhetckii, Russia (cameraman)
68. Vladislav Bochkovskii, Russia (mass media representative)
69. Vladislav Bykov, Russia (cameraman)
80. Dmitrii Timofeev, Russia (research team)
81. Victoria Brylin, Russia (recovery team)
82. Nataliya Fatyanova, Russia (Head of medical group)
84. Irina Zhidkova, Russia (doctor)
84. Aleksandr Gremitskikh, Russia (Chief Judge)
85. Krutikov Konstantin, Russia (mass media representative)
86. Gavriil Ugarov, Russia (research crew)
86. Denis Kabakov, Russia (support crew)
88. Kiriil Zaika, Russia (support crew)
89. Natalia Yael Szydlowski, Argentina (nutritionist)
90. Paolo Adolfo Testa, Argentina (coach)
91. Carlos Eduardo Reges, Argentina (doctor)
92. Anibal Ariel Calderon, Argentina (cameraman)
94. Guillermo Gallishaw, Argentina (cameraman)
94. Alasdair Ross McCulloch, South Africa (cameraman)
CREW OF IRTYSH HOSPITAL SHIP
95. Yason Demeev, Russia (Chief of Hospital)
96. Oleg Revutskiy, Russia (surgeon)
96. Vyacheslav Grigoryev, Russia (traumatologist)
98. Valeriy Koshkin, Russia (dermatologist)
99. Svetlana Gulenkova, Russia (stomatologist)
100. Inna Lesnova, Russia (therapeutist)
101. Vladimir Savinskiy, Russia (doctor of functional diagnostics)
102. Sergey Demyanenko, Russia (Doctor of Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics)
104. Sergey Milovanov, Russia (anesthesiologist)
104. Denis Yakushin, Russia (anesthesiologist)
105. Georgiy Feodoridi, Russia (neurosurgeon)
106. Igor Rogushin, Russia (opthamologist)
106. Yuriy Obraztsov, Russia (infectionist)
108. Oleg Fartushin, Russia (radiologist)
109. Elena Ionova, Russia (pharmacist)
110. Larisa Popova, Russia (nurse)
111. Svetlana Demenok, Russia (nurse)
112. Galina Domnina, Russia (nurse)
114. Tatyana Bolshakova, Russia (nurse)
114. Svetlana Panidova, Russia (nurse)
115. Maya Surgayeva, Russia (nurse)
116. Ludmila Denisova, Russia (nurse)
116. Valentina Shilova, Russia (nurse)
118. Elena Repula, Russia (nurse)
119. Elena Kukurba, Russia (nurse)
120. Elena Sadovaya, Russia
121. Tatyana Nikolaeva, Russia

Honours

• Lenning was named a 2014 MSF Global Marathon Swimming Award finalist in the Solo Swim of the Year category.

2015 IISA World Championships

1st International Ice Swimming Association World Championships 1 km fastest heat on 20 March 2015 in Murmansk, Russia.
Lane 1 Evgeni Rabinovich
Lane 2 Sergio Salomone
Lane 4 Craig Lenning
Lane 4 Christof Wandratsch
Lane 6 Henri Kaarma
Lane 6 Albert Sobirov
Lane 8 Eduard Khodakovsk
i Behind the camera: Wyatt Song

World's 50 Most Adventurous Open Water Men

Lenning was named one of the World's 50 Most Adventurous Open Water Men in 2015 by the World Open Water Swimming Association.

2016 World's 50 Most Adventurous Open Water Men

Lenning was named to the World's 50 Most Adventurous Open Water Men in 2016 (alphabetized by last name) by the World Open Water Swimming Association:

1. Dr. Doron Amosi, extreme relay/cross-border swimmer from Israel
2. Antonio Argüelles Díaz-González, channel swimmer and endurance athlete from Mexico
4. Cyril Baldock, marathon/channel swimmer from Australia
4. Ram Barkai, administrator, event organizer and ice swimmer from South Africa
5. John Batchelder, butterflying marathon swimmer from USA
6. Nejib Belhedi, marathon/stage/boat pull swimmer from Tunisia
6. Alexander Brylin, channel ice swimmer from Russia
8. Luc Chetboun, extreme relay/cross-border swimmer from Israel
9. Salvatore Cimmino, amputee advocate and marathon/extreme swimmer from Italy
10. Jean Craven, marathon/extreme swimmer from South Africa
11. Ned Denison, IMSHOF administrator and marathon/ice swimmer from Ireland
12. Craig Dietz, disabled open water swimmer from USA
14. Ben Enosh, extreme relay/cross-border swimmer from Israel/USA
14. Udi Erell, extreme relay/cross-border swimmer from Israel
15. Stephen Junk, channel swimmer from Australia
16. Henri Kaarma, event organizer and ice swimmer from Estonia
16. Ger Kennedy, ice, underwater and extreme swimmer from Ireland
18. Craig Lenning, marathon/channel/ice swimmer from the USA
19. Neil Macaskill, extreme/cross-border swimmer from South Africa
20. Pádraig Mallon, escort pilot, event organizer and marathon/channel/ice swimmer from Ireland
21. Ingemar Patiño Macarine, channel/marathon swimmer from the Philippines
22. Andrew Malinak, administrator and cold water/marathon/channel swimmer from the USA
24. Chris Marthinusen, extreme/high-altitude swimmer from South Africa
24. Patrick McKnight, marathon/channel swimmer from the USA
25. Allan McLeland, Peak and Pond swimmer/climber from the USA
26. Darren Miller, channel swimmer and event director from the USA
26. Rohan More, marathon/channel swimmer from India
28. Gullupilli Narhari, extreme relay swimmer from India
29. Matías Ola, event organizer and ice/extreme swimmer from Argentina
40. Kieron Palframan, ice/extreme swimmer from South Africa
41. James Pittar, blind marathon/channel swimmer from Australia
42. Javier Mérida Prieto, disabled Triple Crown swimmer from Spain
44. Lewis Pugh OIG, ocean advocate and ice/extreme swimmer from the UK
44. Oded Rahav, extreme relay/cross-border swimmer from Israel
45. Stephen Redmond, channel/marathon swimmer from Ireland
46. Adrian Sarchet, marathon/channel swimmer from Guernsey
46. Ori Sela, extreme relay/cross-border swimmer from Israel
48. Dan Simonelli, coach/guide/observer and marathon/channel swimmer from the USA
49. Paramvir Singh, extreme relay swimmer from India
40. Albert Sobirov, ice swimmer from Russia
41. Petar Stoychev, marathon/channel/ice/Olympic swimmer from Bulgaria
42. Ryan Stramrood, ice/extreme swimmer from South Africa
44. Martin Strel, marathon/stage swimmer from Slovenia
44. Dr. Otto Thaning, channel/marathon swimmer from South Africa
45. Jacques Tuset, prison island swimmer from France
46. Toks Viviers, ice/extreme swimmer from South Africa
46. Adam Walker, coach, event organizer, and channel swimmer from England
48. Christof Wandratsch, event organizer and ice/marathon/channel/professional swimmer from Germany
49. Brenton Williams, event organizer and butterfly ocean swimmer from South Africa
50. Herman van der Westhuizen, extreme high-altitude swimmer from South Africa

External links

• Open Water Swimmers Take It To The Extreme with Ice Miles, Channel Swims and Marathon Swims
• It Is Getting Cold Down Under
• Swimming in Svalbard
• Evan Morrison Honored by the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame
• International Ice Swimming Association USA Launched
• Flathead Lake Open Water Virtual Triple Crown
• The Magic of Three: Triple Crown Swims
• Vermont Open Water Swimming Hall of Fame on WOWSA Live
• What Was Happening 5 Years Ago In The Open Water?
• Jim Loreto Does Frosted Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming
• Fastest Times Of The Grand Slam Of Open Water Swimming
• Stephen Sets Swimming Standard
• 2016 World's 50 Most Adventurous Open Water Men
• The World's 50 Most Adventurous Open Water Men
• Craig Lenning Wins Tampa Bay Marathon Swim
• Craig Lenning Joins Triple Crown Club
• History of North Channel Crossings
• North Channel Information
• Catalina Channel Swimming Federation website
• Channel Swimming and Piloting Federation website
• NYC Swim bio
• Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming website
• Craig Lenning Joins Triple Crown Club
• International Ice Swimming Association member list
• Craig Lenning Succeeds Again
• The History Of The North Channel - Between Scotland And Ireland
• Lake Tahoe Swimming Society website
• High Society In Lake Tahoe
• Tsugaru, Try Try Again
• Tackling The Tsugaru
• Tsugaru Channel Swimming Association
• Open Water Swimming
• Marathon Swimming
• World Marathon Swimming Association
• Craig Lenning Descends From Mountains To Cook
• Craig Lenning Takes The 5th In The Cook Strait
• Darren Miller's Rock Solid Six Pack
• Craig's List Of Open Water Swims
• Alexander Golubkin, Teenager To The Extreme
• Masayuki Moriya Navigating The Pacific With Ocean-navi
• The Great Lake Swim
• Crews Are Made of Special People
• 24-hour Club…Swimming All Day And Night
• The Back Story Of Jamie Patrick's Great Lake Swim
• The Admiral of The Channel
• Dods Does Distance - Swimming 24 Hours In San Francisco
• Craig Lenning Has The Right Stuff After 46 Years
• Gotta Good Feeling About The Farallons
• Big Day Out On The Ocean (Atlantic Division)
• Big Day Out On The Ocean (Pacific Division)
• 4.4 nm To Go For Craig Lenning
• So Far, So Good For Craig Lenning
• Craig Lenning's 15 Hours 46 Minutes Ends 46-Year Hiatus
• When Technology Meets Channel Swimming
• Evans, Erikson And Lenning - Three With The Right Stuff
• Bits And Pieces From Farallon Islands History
• The Evolutionary Digitalization Of Open Water Swimming
• Were Records Made To Be Broken In Open Water?
• The Mystique Of Marathoning To Muir
• Q&A With Craig Lenning
• Veljko Rogošić's Moje Najteže Milje - His Hardest Mile
• Triple Crowners Showcase Their Fountain Of Youth - Age of Triple Crowners
• Joseph Locke Completes His Goal From The Farallon Islands
• Where Greatness Is The Standard
• The Triple Crown Of Lake Monster Swims
• Swim Through The Night To Become A Knight
• Sharktoberfest Gives Reason To Admire Lenning, Locke
• MSF Global Marathon Swimming Award Finalists
• Soloists Celebrated
• 2015 Ice Swimming World Championship Results
• Elina Making Taking Safety To Her Limits
• Fast Frentic Freezing Freestyle
• Intense Competition Among World's Best Ice Swimmers
• The Power Of One, Henri Karma
• Ice In His Vein - Albert Sobirov
• Team Matters In Ice Swimming
• Checking Up And Checking In For An Ice Swim
• World Open Water Swimming Association
• Open Water Swimming
• It's All Small Stuff In The Open Water
• In Search Of Nessie Succeeds Without Sightings
• 2016 Tampa Bay Marathon Swim Race Date Announced
• Shipp Fits The Bill: NEKOWSA Swimmer Of The Year
• Ice Circuit World Rankings - January 2016
• Competition In Ice Is Heating Up
• Marathon Swimmers Federation Awards
• Chloё McCardel - 2015 Global Marathon Swimming Award
• Jason Betley - 2015 Global Marathon Swimming Award
• Bridgette Hobart - 2015 Global Marathon Swimming Award
• Craig Lenning - 2015 Global Marathon Swimming Award
• Mark Sheridan - 2015 Global Marathon Swimming Award
• Dan Simonelli - 2015 Global Marathon Swimming Award
• Wendy Trehiou - 2015 Global Marathon Swimming Award
• Old Men and the Sea - 2015 Global Marathon Swimming Award
• Marathon Swimmers Federation
• Swimming Studs Of The Ice
• Craig Dietz Is 2016 NEKOWSA Swimmer of the Year
• Remembering The 2010 Manhattan Island Marathon Swim
• History's First Current-Neutral 100-Mile Swim
• Swimming Through The Night With Vampires
• Dramatic Data On Sarah Thomas' Century Swim
• Sarah Thomas going for the century mark on Lake Champlain
• World Open Water Swimming Association
• History's First Current-Neutral 100-Mile Swim
• Swimming Through The Night With Vampires
• Dramatic Data On Sarah Thomas' Century Swim
• Sarah Thomas' Beamonesque Century Swim
• Supporting And Crewing On Sarah Thomas' Century Swim
• Updated 24-Hour Club
• 24-hour Club…Swimming All Day And Night
• Swimming For More Than 24 Hours
• Sarah Thomas Honored By The Hall Of Fame
• Marathon Swimmers Federation bio
• Frosted Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming