The Manhattan Island Marathon Swim has become a fixture on New York's summer
calendar and a dramatic 
symbol
of the improving water quality of the waterways that surround the city.
On 20th July, 1997 superfish Tammy van Wisse won the 16th annual swim
round Manhattan, covering the 48 kilometres (and dodging passenger ferries
and flotsam) in a time of 7 hours, 15 minutes and 57 seconds.
With Dawn Fraser on her support boat offering encouragement, van Wisse
beat an international field of 47 competitors, finishing almost 3 minutes
ahead of second place getter David Quartermain.
Back to Manhattan
Tammy returned to New York again in 1999 and produced a record breaking
time of 6 hours 51 minutes, beating home arch rival, Susie Maroney.
In a rare head-to-head clash, van Wisse emerged from the Hudson 24 minutes
ahead of Maroney, who finished a disappointing eighth, but was unable
to catch American Tobie Smith.
Van Wisse was full of praise for the winner. "Wow, that's just an
amazing time for Tobie," she said. "I'm really really happy
to finish second and the time's especially pleasing because I had a difficult
build-up to the race."
Both Smith and van Wisse finished well inside Susie Maroney's race record
of 7.00.27, set in 1990.
Tammy Stars in Manhattan Relay
23rd June 2001 - Marathon swimmer Tammy van Wisse returned to New York
to compete in an "all girl" relay team as part of the 20th
Anniversary of the Manhattan Island Marathon Swim. 
With unusual conditions for the annual 48km Manhattan race, which saw
the event stopped twice due to lightning storms, the all-female relay
team comprising of Aussies Tammy van Wisse and Shelley Taylor Smith
took line honours in a little over 7 hours. Tammy and Shelley were thrilled
with the result, but not so with the water quality. Sighting dead rats,
condoms and other debris floating by, both women suffered from gastro
after the marathon event.
