KINGSTON'S
MARATHON MAN IS TAKING A COUPLE OF WELL DESERVED DAYS OFF --- AFTER
COMPLETING A GRUELLING SWIM OF LAKE ERIE. BUT
JOHN MUNRO WON'T HAVE MUCH TIME TO SAVOUR HIS SUCCESS. THE
RETIRED POLICE OFFICER WILL BE BACK IN TRAINING SOON FOR AN EVEN
TOUGHER CHALLENGE -- SWIMMING ACROSS LAKE ONTARIO. NEWSWATCH'S
STU HAY REPORTS ON THE MAN, AND HIS MISSION.
WHEN JOHN MUNRO STEPPED INTO LAKE ERIE SUNDAY MORNING HE DID SO IN THE
WRONG COUNTRY. BUT
IT WASN'T BY MISTAKE. ORIGINALLY
MUNRO WAS GOING TO SWIM FROM STURGEON POINT NEW YORK TO CRYSTAL BEACH
ONTARIO ....BUT HIGH WINDS AND WAVES FORCED THE HIM TO GO IN THE OTHER
DIRECTION. THAT
SAID THE CONDITIONS WERE STILL LESS THAN IDEAL FOR THE RETIRED TORONTO
COP, WHO'S RECOVERING TODAY AT HIS HOME ON AMHERST ISLAND.
"I HAD WEST WINDS AGAINST ME THE ENTIRE WAY, 3 TO 5 FOOT WAVES
BUT THAT'S ALL PART OF IT AND HAVING SAID ALL THAT THE SWIM WAS
SUCCESSFUL AND I WAS REALLY PLEASED"
IN TOTAL MUNRO SWAM 20 KILOMETRES AND SPENT JUST OVER 9 HOURS IN THE
FRIGID WATER....BEFORE COMING ASHORE ON THE AMERICAN SIDE OF THE LAKE
JUST BEFORE 5 O'CLOCK YESTERDAY AFTERNOON. BUT
THAT'S NOTHING COMPARED TO HIS NEXT VENTURE.
WITH ERIE UNDER HIS BELT MUNRO WILL TACKLE A 52 KILOMETRE CROSSING OF
LAKE ONTARIO NEXT MONTH.
"PLANNED DATE IS AUGUST 9TH. WE
HAVE TO PICK A DATE TO FOCUS ON BUT WE WILL BE WATCHING THE WEATHER
FOR THE WEEK OF AUGUST 9TH FOR THE BEST POSSIBLE WEATHER AND HOPEFULLY
THE WATER IN LAKE ONTARIO WILL BE LITTLE BIT FLATTER."
MUNRO'S COACH AND WIFE VICKI KEITH SAYS HE CAN HAVE THE NEXT 3 DAYS
OFF -- BUT THEN IT'S BACK INTO THE POOL FOR MORE TRAINING. KEITH
IS AN ACCOMPLISHED MARATHON SWIMMER IN HER OWN RIGHT -- HAVING
CONQUERED ALL FIVE GREAT LAKES IN THE 1980S AND 90S. ....INCLUDING
A DOUBLE CROSSING OF LAKE ONTARIO.
BUT MUNRO IS QUICK TO POINT OUT THIS IS HIS PROJECT AND NO ONE TALKED
HIM INTO IT.
NO ONE THAT IS EXCEPT THE DOZENS OF KIDS AT THE KINGSTON YMCA WHO WILL
BENEFIT FROM THE 77 THOUSAND DOLLARS MUNRO HOPES TO RAISE DURING HIS
SWIMS.
STU HAY CKWS NEWSWATCH KINGSTON.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO CONTRIBUTE TO MUNRO'S CHARITABLE FUND -- YOU CAN DO
SO BY CALLING THE Y-M-C-A IN KINGSTON.
