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Mississippi River swimmer attempts world record; swims along Iowa's shore today
By Elisha Marti
News correspondent
Thursday, July 25, 2002, 8:30:49 PM
A marathon swimmer churning through the Mississippi River this summer will be swimming along Iowa's shore starting today in his attempt for a world record.
Martin Strel, 47, will swim past Lansing, Harpers Ferry and Marquette today in his 39-mile push from DeSoto, Wis., to Prairie du Chien, Wis.
"The swimming has been good," said Strel, who hails from Slovenia.
The professional swimmer left the river's source at Lake Itasca, Minn., on July 4, with plans to swim more than 2,414 miles to the Gulf of Mexico at Fort Jackson, La., by Sept. 7.
Strel will swim between 20 and 55 miles a day, for what could be the fastest swim ever of the Mississippi River.
Strel said he is feeling the 754 miles he has already covered. He said his shoulders are sore. But he has no intention of giving up on his record attempt, called the Eye to Eye Mississippi 2002 project.
Support crew member Guy Haglund, said Strel is on a diet of high-calorie foods and nutrient-rich drinks, but he still loses about a pound a day.
Strel has averaged 2 to 5 mph and 40 miles a day so far, Haglund said, and has already passed through nine of the Mississippi's 29 lock and dams.
Strel says he's a fair match for the river. Crew members on three kayaks paddle alongside Strel for safety and as lookouts.
Strel, a professional swimmer for 24 years, makes his living with corporate sponsorship of projects such as the river swim and said he chose the Mississippi River because "it's the most famous river in the world."
If he can complete the Mississippi River project, Strel will be the second man to swim the Mississippi from Lake Itasca to the Gulf of Mexico, and will hold the record for fastest swim of the river.
Performance artist Billy Curmano, of Rushford, Minn., swam the river in segments starting in 1987 and ending in July 1997. Another man swam from Minneapolis to Baton Rouge, La., in 1997.
For updates on Strel's progress, visit www.martinstrel.com.
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WOW! :Q :Q :Q
By Elisha Marti
News correspondent
Thursday, July 25, 2002, 8:30:49 PM
A marathon swimmer churning through the Mississippi River this summer will be swimming along Iowa's shore starting today in his attempt for a world record.
Martin Strel, 47, will swim past Lansing, Harpers Ferry and Marquette today in his 39-mile push from DeSoto, Wis., to Prairie du Chien, Wis.
"The swimming has been good," said Strel, who hails from Slovenia.
The professional swimmer left the river's source at Lake Itasca, Minn., on July 4, with plans to swim more than 2,414 miles to the Gulf of Mexico at Fort Jackson, La., by Sept. 7.
Strel will swim between 20 and 55 miles a day, for what could be the fastest swim ever of the Mississippi River.
Strel said he is feeling the 754 miles he has already covered. He said his shoulders are sore. But he has no intention of giving up on his record attempt, called the Eye to Eye Mississippi 2002 project.
Support crew member Guy Haglund, said Strel is on a diet of high-calorie foods and nutrient-rich drinks, but he still loses about a pound a day.
Strel has averaged 2 to 5 mph and 40 miles a day so far, Haglund said, and has already passed through nine of the Mississippi's 29 lock and dams.
Strel says he's a fair match for the river. Crew members on three kayaks paddle alongside Strel for safety and as lookouts.
Strel, a professional swimmer for 24 years, makes his living with corporate sponsorship of projects such as the river swim and said he chose the Mississippi River because "it's the most famous river in the world."
If he can complete the Mississippi River project, Strel will be the second man to swim the Mississippi from Lake Itasca to the Gulf of Mexico, and will hold the record for fastest swim of the river.
Performance artist Billy Curmano, of Rushford, Minn., swam the river in segments starting in 1987 and ending in July 1997. Another man swam from Minneapolis to Baton Rouge, La., in 1997.
For updates on Strel's progress, visit www.martinstrel.com.
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WOW! :Q :Q :Q
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