Don Houghton, Jr.
From Openwaterpedia
Escort kayaker Don Houghton, Jr.
Vermont Open Water Swimming Hall of Fame, Honor Contributor Crew
Don Houghton, Jr. is a 70-year-old American kayaker and escort pilot of Craftsbury, Vermont who was elected as a Contributor and Crew in the Vermont Open Water Swimming Hall of Fame in the Class of 2017.
Open Water Swimming Career
Houghton kayaked and piloted at nearly every NEKOWSA swim since 2010, including paddling the length of Lake Memphremagog in support of In Search of Memphre in 2016 for Craig Lenning’s solo swim in 2015, and travelling to Arizona repeatedly to support swimmers in four marathon swims over four days at S.C.A.R.Vermont Open Water Swimming Hall of Fame is a hall of fame that was established by Phil White and Ned Denison and founded on 24 January 2017
Vermont Open Water Swimming Hall of Fame Class of 2017
- Bethany Bosch, 32 of Wallingford, Vermont: As a Marathon Swimmer, Bosch became the first Vermont resident to successfully swim the 21-mile English Channel in 2014. Her marathon swimming career started as the slowest swimmer in the 10-mile Kingdom Swim in 2011. She returned in 2012 and completed the swim faster by one hour 30 minutes. Bosch completed the 25-mile In Search of Memphre Swim in 2013.
- Charlotte Brynn, 51 of Stowe, Vermont: As a Marathon Swimmer, Brynn completed two legs of the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming in 2014 (i.e., 20-mile Catalina Channel and 28.5-mile Manhattan Island Marathon Swim) that followed previous setbacks. She completed the 10-mile Kingdom Swim in 2010. In 2011, she was one of only 4 (out of 9) to complete the inaugural 25-mile In Search of Memphre in the face of 25 to 30 mph headwinds. Brynn won the 25 km Border Busters event in 2016. As a Winter Swimmer, Brynn completed two Ice Miles in temperatures below 5°C in a normal swimsuit. As an Adventure Swimmer, Brynn completed more swims than anyone in Vermont waters: Champlain, Memphremagog, NEK Swim Week, Skinner Island, Ile Ronde, and Georgeville or Bust as new swims on Lake Memphremagog. As a Contributor – Coach, Brynn is the founder and inspiring coach of the Stowe Distance Swimmers which has produced more marathoners than any other program in Vermont.
- Gary Golden, 62 of Burlington, Vermont: As a Contributor – Crew, Golden has kayaked at nearly every NEKOWSA swim since 2010 including paddling the length of Lake Memphremagog in support of In Search of Memphre in 2015 and 2016.
- Don Houghton, Jr., 70 of Craftsbury, Vermont: As a Contributor – Crew, Houghton kayaked and piloted at nearly every NEKOWSA swim since 2010, including paddling the length of Lake Memphremagog in support of In Search of Memphre in 2016 for Craig Lenning’s solo swim in 2015, and travelling to Arizona repeatedly to support swimmers in four marathon swims over four days at S.C.A.R.
- Cynthia Needham, 69 of Hyde Park, Vermont: As a Contributor – Crew and kayaker in numerous NEKOWSA swims including Sarah Thomas' 50-mile double crossing In Search of Memphre in 2013 and Charlotte Brynn’s many swims on Lake Memphremagog and on seven marathon swims (and attempts) from California to New York and England.
- Bill Shipp, 56 of Mitchelville, Maryland: As a Marathon Swimmer, Shipp completed the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming in 2014 and 2015 (i.e., 21-mile English Channel, 20-mile Catalina Channel, and 28.5-mile Manhattan Island Marathon Swim). Shipp’s Vermont record started with the 10-mile Kingdom Swim in 2010. He then overcame cancer, returned in 2011 for another 10-mile Kingdom Swim and attempted the inaugural 25-mile In Search of Memphre. Shipp completed In Search of Memphre in 2012, was the top male at the inaugural 15-mile Border Buster in 2014 and was top male in the 25 km Border Buster in 2016.
- Chris Steele, 60 of Derby, Vermont: As a Contributor – Crew, Steele piloted and led the fleet of patrol boats supporting the inaugural Kingdom Swim in 2009. He served as the First Rear Admiral of the fleet from 2010 to 2012 and piloted a boat in the first two In Search of Memphre swims through fierce weather conditions. He has supported every Kingdom Swim that his boat was in the water since 2009.
- Gail Steele, 60 of Derby, Vermont: As a Contributor – Crew, Steele kayaked and crewed at all but one of the Kingdom Swims since its founding in 2009 and crewed with her husband Chris at the first two In Search of Memphre swims.
- Sarah Thomas, 33 of Conifer, Colorado: As a Marathon Swimmer, the first person to complete a double crossing of Lake Memphremagog, swimming 50 miles in 30 hours in 2013. As an out-of-stater, this swim redefined marathon swimming in Vermont. She returned to Lake Memphremagog in 2014, winning the 15-mile Border Buster. Thomas is a world-renowned marathon swimmer who in 2016 swam 80 miles the length of Lake Powell, the longest lake swim in history.
- Paula Yankauskas, 62 of Hyde Park, Vermont: As a Marathon Swimmer, Yankauskas is the oldest American woman to swim the 21-mile English Channel which she complete in 2016. She is the oldest person to swim the 25-mile length of Lake Memphremagog in the In Search of Memphre in 2014. Her swims include repeated Kingdom Swims, repeated NEK Swim Weeks, the 15-mile Border Busters, and the 25 km Border Busters in 2016.
External links
- Vermont Open Water Swimming Hall Of Fame Class Of 2017
- Class of 2017
- World Open Water Swimming Association
- Open Water Swimming
- Marathon Swimming
- Daily News of Open Water Swimming
- World Marathon Swimming Association
- Northeast Kingdom Open Water Swimming Association
- Open Water Swimming
- Willoughby III In The Northeast Kingdom
- Who Is Phil White And What Is NEKOWSA?
- On Golden Pond
- Swimming In The Open Water Swimming Kingdom
- Happy Yacker Week 2013
- Haiku To My Kayaker
- Haiku To Yacker
- Ode To My Yacker
- To Kingdom Come They Swim
- Slots Still Open For the World 10-Mile Championships
- Establishing A Governing Body In Open Water Swimming
- Rob Madell Proves It Is Never Too Late
- WOWSA Battle: Brian Phillips vs. Eric Nilsson
- Emma Otto-Moudry Can WOW The Crowd
- Pure As White In Lake Memphremagog
- Eric Nilsson, Kristin Jones Win 10-Mile World Championship
- Champion's Reflections, Kristin Jones On The Kingdom
- Paula Yankauskas Feeling Comfortable In Her Own Skin
- An Adventurous Day Between Open Water Swims
- The Clubhouse On Lake Memphremagog
- Guri Bosch Takes Canine Division
- Paula Yankauskas Is 2013 NEKOWSA Swimmer Of The Year
- Northeast Kingdom Open Water Swimming 2014 Schedule
- Two Men, Two Maidens, And A Monster In Memphremagog
- Sarah Thomas, A Double-Crosser
- Sarah Thomas Double-Crosser Twice Over
- Bethany Bosch Boldly Swims In Search Of Memphre
- Blue On Blue Separated By Green
- Clubhous On The Shores Of Memphremagog
- Open Water Swimming - Keys To Success
- Open Water Swimming - Drafting Keys To Success
- Swim Under The Clouds
- Phil White Takes Law Into The Open Water
- Sarah Thomas Does It Over And Over Again
- 2013 World Open Water Swimming Woman Of The Year Nominees
- Great Cities In America For Open Water Swimming
- Time Will Tell How Changes Impact Open Water Rules
- Top 25 Organizations And Groups In Openwaterpedia
- Be Kind To Your Yacker Week
- Opening Day Kicks Off Summer Season
- Pioneers Are Honored From North To South
- Border Buster Is A Friendly Competition
- Janet Harris, Charlotte Brynn Dominate Swim The Kingdom
- Kingdom's Swimmers Of The Year
- Singing His Praises As NEKOWSA's Unsung Hero
- Home Away From Home
- Son Of A Swim, Sunny And Small
- Shipp Fits The Bill: NEKOWSA Swimmer Of The Year
- World Open Water Swimming Association
- Swimming To Skinner Island, Smuggler's Cave Swim
- Charlotte Brynn Swims With A Spirit In Mind
- Charlotte's Crossing Complete
- Guri Dogs It Across Lake Willoughby
- Steve Hodgins, Abigail Onos Win Willoughby
- Younger Versus Older Generations In The Caspian Swim
- Kingdom Swim
- Magoo Manages Marathon To Magog
- World Open Water Swimming Association
- Open Water Swimming
- Marathon Swimming
- Daily News of Open Water Swimming
- Watery Winter Wonderland In The Northeast Kingdom
- Craig Dietz Adapts To Marathon Swimming With NEKOWSA
- Craig Dietz Is 2016 NEKOWSA Swimmer of the Year
- April Pinup Swimmer, Kayaker And Canine Crew
- Ned Denison Honored In Vermont
- The White Knight Honored In Vermont
