Extreme North Dakota Watersports Endurance Test

Oceans Seven swimmer Darren Miller winning the 2012 END-WET marathon swim from North Dakota to Minnesota down the mighty Red River

Dan Projansky completing the 36-mile END WET on 20 June 2015, swum all butterfly

Extreme North Dakota Watersports Endurance Test (END-WET) in the mighty Red River of the North

Extreme North Dakota Watersports Endurance Test, or END-WET as it is known, is a 36-mile (57.9 km) mixed-sports event where solo and relay open water swimmers pit themselves against other endurance athletes down the Red River between Grand Forks, North Dakota and Oslo, Minnesota in the United States. It is one of the longest marathon swims in the world and directed by Andy Magness.

It is one of America's Top 100 Open Water Swims and one of the World's Top 100 River Swims in 2019.

2012 Edition

The initial race was organized by ENDracing on 21 July 2012 where kayakers, surfskiers, stand-up paddle boarders as well as marathon swimmers compete in an extreme race in the upper Midwest. Darren Miller won in 9 hours 11 minutes while Dan Projansky finished the race swimming the entire way butterfly in 14 hours 30 minutes.

2013 Edition

Karen Zemlin finished just ahead of Jen Schumacher in 6 hours 58 minutes in the 27-mile edition.

2014 Edition

Suzie Dods of San Francisco, California, 54, finished as the first women with 16-year-old Annaleise Carr of Canada as the second woman.

2015 Edition

Sarah Thomas of Colorado won the 36-mile edition overall with Dan Projansky swimming all butterfly and finishing in 15 hours 22 minutes.

Guest Swimmers

• 2012: Darren Miller
• 2013: Jen Schumacher
• 2014: Annaleise Carr
• 2015: Sarah Thomas
• 2016: Jeff Utsch
• 2020: Sarah Thomas

Categories

• two person open/coed in a canoe or two-person kayak
  
• solo male/female in a kayak or surfski
  
• solo male/female on a stand-up paddle board
  
• relay swimmers (2-6 members)
  
• solo swimmers
  

Escort Boats

Solo swimmers are required to provide their own support boat where non-motorized watercraft are preferred. Relay swims teams also need to provide their own support boat/team dugout.

Relay Rules

Relay swimmers can swim in any order, but new swimmers must enter the water up-river of the retiring swimmer and before the retiring swimmer makes contact with the support boat. Swimmers are allowed to change out within 100 yards of any mile marker, so must swim, at minimum, one mile per rotation. River miles will be clearly marked on river right.

Charity

All profits help support Ground UP adventures, a local North Dakota non-profit dedicated to bringing adventure to the region's youth and larger communities.

2012 Solo Participants

• Darren Miller of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
  
• Dan Projansky (Mr. Butterfly) of Chicago, Illinois
  
• Robert Treuer of Grand Forks, North Dakota
  
• "Fireman' Dave Madvig of Los Angeles, California
  
• Melodee Nugent of Mukwonago, Wisconsin
  
• Sandra Bergquist of Eden Prairie, Minnesota
  

Guest Swimmers

• Darren Miller
• Jen Schumacher
• Annaleise Carr
• Sarah Thomas
• Jeff Utsch

External links

• END-WET 2024 Race Day Announced
• Jamie Proffitt Sets New END-WET Record
• Volunteers Needed for END-WET in the Mighty Red River
• Sarah Thomas Wins 2021 END WET, the Guest Takes the Title
• Jamie Tout DEFCON Training
• Pat Gallant-Charette and Jamie Tout Appreciate the Beauty and Challenge of the Open Water
• Channel Swimming with Stewart Evans: Walk In, Swim Across, Walk Out
• Greg O'Connor Goes Four For Four Across Lake Willoughby
• Mighty Swim The Mighty
• Sarah Thomas Returns To END-WET
• Sarah Thomas To Inspire Others At END-WET
• END-WET
• ENDracing
• Don't Wait To The END
• Swimmers Head to END to Mighty Red River
• Dan Projansky Shoulders A 26-Mile Burden In The END-WET
• The Odyssey Of Open Water Swimming
• List Of Marathon Swims Around The World
• Marathon Swimming
• World Open Water Swimming Association
• Open Water Swimming
• Dan Projansky Flying Down The Red River To END-WET
• Don't Wait To The END
• Swimmers Head to END to Mighty Red River
• An Adventure Like No Other In The Mighty Red River
• Dan Projansky Flying Down The Red River To END-WET
• END-WET With No End In Sight
• Tim Root Swimming Across The 'Train
• Annaleise Carr To Start New And Longer END-WET
• Dan's The Man - Mr. Butterfly Goes Extreme
• Ain't No Sharks In North Dakota, Just A Mighty Red River
• Dan Projansky, 56 Going On 36
• Suzie Dods, Swimmingly Joyful, Joyfully Swimming
• END-WET Begins And Ends Today
• END-WET: Epic, Iconic And Surreally Long
• Results And Report Of The 2014 END-WET
• Everyone Is A Who's Who In The Mighty Red River
• Brian Leftwich Swims And Runs To The Limit
• Swimming In Beautiful Country
• Annaleise Carr, Swimming With a Purpose
• Annaleise Carr's Traverse Across Lake Erie, Part One
• Re-invention Through Butterfly, Making Up For Lost Time
• Melodee Nugent, Swimming For Miles And Miles
• June 18th Is END-WET 3.0
• Red River Rages
• Dan Projansky, DNF: Did Not Fail
• John Batchelder, Another DNF (Do Not Freestyle)
• John Batchelder Flys Through The Open Water
• Melodee Nugent, The Swimming Statistician
• Nominations Called For END-WET Marathon Adventure
• Patty Hermann + Martin Strel 5.0 In Tampa Bay
• John Batchelder Describes His Butterfly Crossing Of Tampa Bay
• Swimming In The Ganges, The Sacred River
• Brutal ... Butterfly In The Open Water
• Jaimie Monahan Honored By The Hall Of Fame
• Sarah Thomas Honored By The Hall Of Fame
• From The Apostles Island To The Mighty Red River
• Sandra Frimerman-Bergquist Gets To End First
• Red River Racing With Sandra Frimerman-Bergquist
• 7 And More Ready To Go In END-WET
• Boatmen, Pilots, Crews, Unsung Heroes Of Marathons
• Jessica Kieras On Winning SCAR Swim Challenge