Home › Island Sports › Latest Stories
Harry Stephenson wins open water title
RELATED STORIES 
Share and Enjoy 
The first time someone watches Harry Stephenson swim, his feet look more like fins hammering the water to a ferocious beat.
With that intensity the first observation might be to think that he can’t keep it up, but he does. Oh, how he does!
He used his six-beat kick and heady swimming to swamp competition in the USA Swimming 10K Open Water Challenge in the Gulf of Mexico off Fort Myers Beach on Sunday.
Stephenson earned the right to swim in the USA 10K Open Water National Championship in Minneapolis in August.
Stephenson, the Lely High boys MVP in swimming, and Cameron Rattray of Bridgewater, N.J., both 15, took the lead early over 37 swimmers to make it a two-person race.
Stephenson, at first, felt compelled to take the lead after getting caught in the pack in the 5K a year ago, finishing 19th.
Stephenson changed his mind in the wavy water after moving to the front with Rattray.
“I decided instead of the lead to stay behind him and pass him on the last lap,” Stephenson said.
What Stephenson did amounts to what race car drivers do, staying behind a car and using its draft to conserve power.
And Stephenson had the power, using large waves and a powerful current to shoot by Rattray, winning by 40 seconds and 100 meters.
“The Kick” came through as it did in so many meets for Lely, with Stephenson holding school records in the 200-yard individual medley and 500-yard breaststroke.
Stephenson was swimming for the Gulf Coast Swim Team, which scored the most points in overall open water competition.
His coach Don Henshaw says Stephenson has a special kick.
“Harry has a real rapid kick that not too many people use, or can use,” Henshaw said. “Most experienced swimmers use a two to four-beat kick to conserve the legs and use arm strokes more. Nicholas Caldwell conserves his legs for a strong finish at the end.”
Caldwell, will be a sophomore at Golden Gate High. He has qualified to swim in the U.S. Olympic Trials in the 1500-meter event in August.
Caldwell won the Class 2A state championship in the 200 individual medley, while Stephenson was fifth. In the 500, Caldwell was second and Stephenson fourth.
“Caldwell is a great racer,” Stephenson said. “I feel lucky to train with him every day.”
Stephenson is comfortable with his style.
“I’ve been a six-beat swimmer since I first started, it wasn’t something I did intentionally,” he said. “When I swim I don’t think about my legs. If I started thinking about changing it would take away from my concentration. I don’t think it would work out.”
Retired Lely High coach Carl Kolling agrees.
“I read in the paper what Harry did in the open water finals and it wasn’t surprising,” he said. “In the 500 in high school it is like a sprint to Harry. If you don’t have a big lead he’ll power up and he’s by you. With his endurance, power and technique he can just put it into another gear.”
Henshaw also likes Stephenson’s style and thinks he has great potential.
“He has a couple more years to develop and with his ability he could land a major conference, like the Big 10 or SEC,” Henshaw said. “Goals for Harry now should be U.S. national team qualifying times and a state swim title.”
Stephenson is thinking about Division I schools, mentioning Florida and Michigan, but also is looking at Division III schools like Yale.
“I would like a big school or on the education side might want a smaller school like Yale,” he said.
Stephenson’s immediate goals are to be in the top two at state in the 200 and top three in the 500 in 2008. He wants to get under 4:30 in the 500 and down to 1:55 in the 200.
If he does he would be around state championship times recorded in 2007.
As for the open water Olympics, “four years is a long time,” Stephenson says of the next chance. “If it works out it would be great.”
He goes down to South Beach on Marco Island every Sunday, swimming a 5K or 10K in the Gulf, with his dad Doug exercising in a kayak.
They are mum on who has the best finish.
Comments
This site does not necessarily agree with comments posted below — responsibility lies with the relevant reader alone. Read our privacy policy & user agreement.
Post your comment
(Requires free registration.)