HUNTINGTON BEACH, Cali. – University of Toledo men's swimming alumnus and Varsity T Hall of Fame member John Muenzer made open-water swimming history earlier this month as he completed the 20.5 miles from Catalina Island to Huntington Beach, Cali. in 10 hours and 15 minutes. The swim was the final event in his 38-year journey in completing The Grand Slam and the Triple Crown of open-water swimming, an honor only a handful of athletes have completed.

"This is the end of a 38-year goal," replied Muenzer after completing this last swim. "It started in 1981 and many people who supported me have now passed away, including Marty Clark. He was instrumental as the University of Toledo press agent. I can't thank Bob Fountain for everything he did. As the head coach of the University of Toledo men's swim team, he gave me a scholarship and opened the door to all that I was able to accomplish. I feel a real sense of pressure has now left me."
 
A Maumee, Ohio native, Muenzer is the 27th and oldest person to complete the Grand Slam, and one of nearly 240 swimmers to complete the Triple Crown. The Triple Crown consists of Manhattan Island (24.5 miles), the English Channel (20.8 miles), and Catalina Channel (20.5 miles). The Grand Slam is those four swims plus Tampa Bay (24.5 miles).

Muenzer finished fourth in the Tampa Bay swim, with a time of 12 hours and 7 minutes in April 2009 at the age of 47. Later that same year in July, he completed the English Channel swim in 13 hours and 12 minutes. Ten years later at the age of 57, Muenzer completed the Bridges of Manhattan Island swim in New York in August of 2018, and finished eighth after 9 hours and 22 minutes in the water.

Now almost 61 years young, Muenzer completed the Catalina Channel in 10 hours and 15 minutes on Aug. 2-3. At 11:00 p.m. on Aug. 2, Muenzer and his team set out to face the roaring waves that laid ahead of him.

"The swim was intimidating at the beginning. I left at 11:30 p.m. in three-to-four-foot swells," said Muenzer. "Even with my experience, it took me some time to settle down and get my distancing to my kayaker and the support boat. As the night went on, the conditions began to get really nice, just as my boat captain told me it would."

A tropical storm was moving its way north up the coast of California and affected the flow of Muenzer's course.

"I handled the waves pretty well," Muenzer added. "When the sun began to come up, I was energized. The last two hours of the swim I went my fastest pace. During the swim I did power kicking sets and it made a difference. Also, my shoulders held up well. The cortisone treatment 10 days prior in my left shoulder did the job."
 
Once the waves started to subside, the wildlife of the sea remained an obstacle.
 
"I had some luck along the way," Muenzer said about the wildlife around him. "I had several whales in our space, dolphin pods and jellyfish. I wasn't bothered by any of the sea life. I was fortunate because a field of jellyfish had already started to go down and I swam over them. If I had been there an hour earlier, I would have been stung."
 
"There were great whites up the coast, so I had to overcome that thought process of knowing they were there in the channel. I relied on my faith and conversations with my parents and my son, Dan. I know they were there with me."
 
After 10 hours and 15 minutes of avoiding dangerous waves and sharks, Muenzer emerged out of the waters on Hunting Beach two hours faster than he though he would complete.

"I swam almost two hours faster than anyone, including me, thought I could do it in," Muenzer said. "It was my fastest swim of all four. At one point I felt as though I was swimming the mile at the Mid-American Conference Championships. It stands as the third-fastest crossing in the last year. And I'm swimming against young ones!"

Muenzer gave two thumbs as be made his way to the rock wall to signal the end of another great accomplishment. He said he owes gratitude to his family and crew that were along with him through in the boat and in the water. "I also had an unbelievable crew with me. My wife Mary, my son Ray, my son Joe, my doctor, Dr. Dillon, my feeding crew, Mike and Bobbi Carson, pace swimmers Steve Munatones and Mike Tschantzhahn. My kayakers and boat crew were highly rated. It was a real team effort."

Muenzer said his future in the water will be more for exercise than racing. His plans are focused on his youngest son, Ray, who swam the last 600m of the Catalina Channel alongside Muenzer.

"My plans are to swim daily to stay in shape," Muenzer said. "It's emotional for me because Ray is my buddy. After losing my son Dan in 2016, Ray a big part of the glue that held us together. I plan on focusing on my grandchildren, 11 and two others on the way, and being whatever they become. I can't wait to live through them!"