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Chattanooga Swim Fest photos and results

By Ron Bush, Robin Rudd, Mark Pace June 5, 2017 2 min read

Photo Gallery

Swim Fest coverage

Volunteer pilots line up along the bank of the Tennessee River awaiting the swimmers they are to shadow during the race. The final day of the 2017 U.S. Masters Swimming Middle and Ultramarathon Distance Open Water National Championships was held on the Tennessee River on June 4, 2017.

A group of the early race leaders prepares to pass under the Walnut Street Bridge. The final day of the 2017 U.S. Masters Swimming Middle and Ultramarathon Distance Open Water National Championships was held on the Tennessee River on June 4, 2017.

Male winner, Richardo Valdivia of Miami, Florida, is congratulated by race official Karah Nazor, after crossing the finish line at Baylor School. The final day of the 2017 U.S. Masters Swimming Middle and Ultramarathon Distance Open Water National Championships was held on the Tennessee River on June 4, 2017.

The early race leader prepares to pass under the Walnut Street Bridge. The final day of the 2017 U.S. Masters Swimming Middle and Ultramarathon Distance Open Water National Championships was held on the Tennessee River on June 4, 2017.

One of the early race leaders prepares to pass under the Walnut Street Bridge. The final day of the 2017 U.S. Masters Swimming Middle and Ultramarathon Distance Open Water National Championships was held on the Tennessee River on June 4, 2017.

A group of the swimmers and their volunteer pilots prepare to pass under the Walnut Street Bridge. The final day of the 2017 U.S. Masters Swimming Middle and Ultramarathon Distance Open Water National Championships was held on the Tennessee River on June 4, 2017.

The finish line was at Baylor School. The final day of the 2017 U.S. Masters Swimming Middle and Ultramarathon Distance Open Water National Championships was held on the Tennessee River on June 4, 2017.

Male winner, Richardo Valdivia of Miami, Florida, shakes hands with female winner, Sandra Frimerman-Bergquist of Excelsior Minnesota, at Baylor School. The final day of the 2017 U.S. Masters Swimming Middle and Ultramarathon Distance Open Water National Championships was held on the Tennessee River on June 4, 2017.

Female winner, Sandra Frimerman-Bergquist of Excelsior, Minnesota, swims to the finish line at Baylor School. The final day of the 2017 U.S. Masters Swimming Middle and Ultramarathon Distance Open Water National Championships was held on the Tennessee River on June 4, 2017.

Male winner, Richardo Valdivia of Miami, Florida, swims to the finish line at Baylor School. The final day of the 2017 U.S. Masters Swimming Middle and Ultramarathon Distance Open Water National Championships was held on the Tennessee River on June 4, 2017.

Male winner, Richardo Valdivia of Miami, Florida, gives a thumbs-up after crossing the finish line at Baylor School. The final day of the 2017 U.S. Masters Swimming Middle and Ultramarathon Distance Open Water National Championships was held on the Tennessee River on June 4, 2017.

Swimmers take to the water before the start of the 9.2 mile swim from the GPS dock to the Baylor dock. The final day of the 2017 U.S. Masters Swimming Middle and Ultramarathon Distance Open Water National Championships was held on the Tennessee River on June 4, 2017.

Female winner, Sandra Frimerman-Bergquist of Excelsior, Minnesota, smiles after crossing the finish line at Baylor School. The final day of the 2017 U.S. Masters Swimming Middle and Ultramarathon Distance Open Water National Championships was held on the Tennessee River on June 4, 2017.

Swimmers and their volunteer pilots head downstream past the Market Tree Bridge. The final day of the 2017 U.S. Masters Swimming Middle and Ultramarathon Distance Open Water National Championships was held on the Tennessee River on June 4, 2017.

The Chattanooga Swim Fest was held this weekend in the Tennessee River.

The event featured a 1-mile non-championship swim Friday evening and the U.S. Masters Swimming 2017 Middle and Ultramarathon Distance Open Water National Championships Saturday and Sunday mornings, respectively.

Race organizers were afraid Sunday’s race would have to be canceled due to serious weather, but the storms held off in the morning, allowing for the race.

Ricardo Valdivia from South Miami, Fla., and Sandra Frimerman-Bergquist of Bloomington, Minn., won the 9.2-mile ultramaraton national championship race Sunday. Valdivia finished in 2 hours, 5 minutes, 30 seconds, and Frimerman-Bergquist was the first female and second overall in 2:07:45. Kurt Dickson of Glendale, Ariz., was third in 2:08:19, six seconds ahead Adam Dawkins of Jasper, Ind. Stephen Rouch of Indianapolis completed the top five in 2:11:08, and Christopher Graefe of Jamaica Plain, Mass., was sixth in 2:12:17. Victoria Rian of Indianapolis was the second woman and eighth overall in 2:13:20.

Rick Schumacher of Hixson was the top local finisher in all three races. In the ultramarathon race, he finished 20th out of 98 finishers in 2:17:41. He finished the middle distance race 14th in 32:35. He placed 10th in the 1-mile swim, finishing in 13:21.