
Yearly
Results
List of Winners; GCBS Difficulty Rankings;
Basic GCBS StatisticsBrian J. Earley started what
what has become the Great
Chesapeake Bay Swim (GCBS) on June 13, 1982, with a solo swim across
the Bay in memory of his father, Joseph Earley, who died of diabetes complications in
1981. Brian used the swim to raise donations for the American Diabetes Association, which
continued through the 1991 event. Brian's initial swims (1982-1985) were from Kent
Island to Sandy Point State Park.
Race organizer Fletcher Hanks began a separate Bay Swim event
in 1984, entitled the "Chesapeake Bay Bridges Swim Race," which
attracted 2 swimmers the
first year and 67 (48 finishers) in 1985. On June 15, 1986, the Hanks and Earley
events merged when 211 swimmers successfully swam from Westinghouse (south of the bridges
on the western shore) to Hemingway's Restaurant. The
following year, the event started at
Sandy Point State
Park, which established its present course.
The June 14, 1992, event scheduled by Fletcher Hanks was canceled.
The 1992 event was rescheduled for June 28th as a charity event, entitled
the "Great Chesapeake Bay Swim," for the March of Dimes. Since 1992,
Director Chuck Nabit has orchestrated an impressive set of volunteers and sponsors to
provide a safe and popular sporting event for the benefit of the March of Dimes.
Event # |
YEAR |
Sunday,
June |
Start
Time |
# of
Start
Waves |
Course* |
39th |
2022 |
12 |
12:00
p |
2 |
A |
38th |
2019 |
9 |
12:00
p |
2 |
D |
37th |
2018 |
10 |
10:30
a |
2 |
A |
36th |
2017 |
11 |
8:30
a |
2 |
A |
35th |
2016 |
12 |
12:15
p |
2 |
A |
34th |
2015 |
14 |
12:15
p |
2 |
A |
33rd |
2014 |
8 |
10:30
a |
2 |
A |
32nd |
2013 |
9 |
8:25
a |
2 |
A |
31st |
2012 |
10 |
11:00
a |
2 |
A |
30th |
2011 |
12 |
11:30
a |
2 |
A |
29th |
2010 |
13 |
8:00
a |
2 |
A |
28th |
2009 |
14 |
10:20
a |
2 |
A |
27th |
2008 |
8 |
10:00
a |
2 |
A |
26th |
2007 |
10 |
9:30
a |
2 |
A |
25th |
2006 |
11 |
10:00
a |
2 |
A |
24th |
2005 |
12 |
10:30
a |
2 |
A |
23rd |
2004 |
13 |
9:30
a |
2 |
A |
22nd |
2003 |
8 |
12:30
p |
2 |
A |
21st |
2002 |
16 |
11:00
a |
2 |
A |
20th |
2001 |
10 |
10:30
a |
2 |
A |
19th |
2000 |
11 |
9:45
a |
2 |
A |
18th |
1999 |
13 |
7:19
a |
2 |
A |
17th |
1998 |
14 |
10:50
a |
2 |
A |
16th |
1997 |
8 |
10:00
a |
2 |
A |
15th |
1996 |
9 |
8:30
a |
2 |
A |
14th |
1995 |
11 |
1:00
p |
2 |
A |
13th |
1994 |
12 |
10:00
a |
2 |
A |
12th |
1993 |
13 |
9:15
a |
2 |
A |
11th |
1992 |
28 |
8:30
a |
2 |
A |
10th |
1991 |
9 |
8:05
a |
9 |
A |
9th |
1990 |
10 |
8:00
a |
1 |
A |
8th |
1989 |
11 |
8:00
a |
1 |
A |
7th |
1988 |
12 |
8:00
a |
1 |
A |
6th |
1987 |
14 |
8:00
a |
1 |
A |
5th |
1986 |
15 |
10:00
a |
1 |
B |
4th |
1985 |
9 |
12:00
p |
1 |
C |
|
Hanks Event |
16 |
10:40
a |
1 |
A* |
3rd |
1984 |
10 |
n/a |
1 |
C |
|
Hanks Event |
17 |
9:30a |
1 |
C |
2nd |
1983 |
12 |
12:15
p |
1 |
C |
1st |
1982 |
13 |
n/a |
1 |
C |
* Course:
A - Sandy Point State
Park to Hemingways
A* - start straight from
shore (did not curve under bridges; about 4.1 miles)
B - Westinghouse to
Hemingways
C - Kent Island to
Sandy Point State Park
D - 2.2-mile
triangular course from
the eastern shore of bay |
n/a - Information Not
Available (bayswim@writeme.com if you have
information) |
1992-2019 |
Race Organizer: Charles
J. Nabit (also w/Lyn Brooks; Robert D. Vigorito) - Charity: March of Dimes |
1984-1991 |
Race Organizer: Fletcher
Hanks - Charity: American Diabetes Association (1986 - 1991) |
|
- In 1986, the
Earley event and the Hanks event, which were conducted separately in 1984 and 1985,
merged. |
1982-1985 |
Founder: Brian Joseph
Earley - Charity: American Diabetes Association |
|