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JEWISH SPORTS FOUNDATION
Rick Seid
One day before he's
inducted into the
Michigan Jewish Sports
Hall of Fame, Rick Seid
will conduct a self-de-
fense class for women
and teens based on his
FBI-endorsed "Kids
Fighting Chance" training program. The class
will be held from noon-2 p.m. Sunday, Nov.
6, at the Franklin Athletic Club in Southfield.
Admission is a $35 donation to the Michigan
Jewish Sports Foundation, which sponsors
the Hall of Fame. To register for the class, go
to www.michiganjewishsports.org or call
(248) 592-9323.
Sophia Garfinkel
Sophia Garfinkel is a
freshman forward on the
College of Wooster (Ohio)
women's soccer team.
She played in six of the
team's first 13 games this
fall. A former three-sport
star at Bloomfield Hills
Andover High School, she was named to
the Oakland Activities Association All-Blue
Division Team in girls' basketball, and she
was a candidate for the All-State Academic
Team selected by the Michigan Interscho-
lastic Volleyball Coaches Association as a
senior.
CALL Now FOR TICKETS
FOR THIS SPECIAL EVENT!
THE MICHIGAN JEWISH SPORTS FOUNDATION'S
HALL OF FAME INDUCTION DINNER
MONDAY, NOVEMBER
7, 2011
CONGREGATION SHAAREY ZEDEK
5:30 P.M.
CELEBRATING
MITCH ALBOM
IRVING "PRO" BOIM
BRUCE SEID
RICK SEID
HENRY "HANK" WINEMAN III
2011 ALVIN FOON HUMANITARIAN AWARD
RICHARD BERNSTEIN
SPECIAL RECOGNITION
JEWISH WAR VETERANS'
JOSEPH L. BALE POST #474
Special Pricing and Activities for Youth &Young Adults
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Contact 248.592.9323 or dblatt michiganjewishsports.org
42
October 20 • 2011
MICHIGAN
/I\
JEWISH SPORTS
FOUNDATION
Swimming The Channel
Steve Stein
Contributing Writer
li
I envy Birmelin has done
something no other
Michigan woman has done.
She made a successful solo swim
across the English Channel from
England to France.
The 34-year-old Farmington Hills
resident completed the journey in
11 hours, 31 minutes and seven
seconds, faster than her antici-
pated time of 13 hours. Her time is
the 414th fastest among the 1,651
recorded since 1875.
While the English Channel is 21
miles across, Birmelin actually swam Victorious swimmer Jenny Birmelin
28 miles because of tides. She began celebrates on the French coast immedi-
at 4:05 a.m. Aug. 20 at Shakespeare
ately after crossing the English Channel.
Beach in Dover, England, and arrived
on a beach in Wissant, France, at 3:36
her wearing wet suits and fins.
p.m. the same day.
When she reached shallow water
"This was something I've always
at the French coastline, an emotional
wanted to do," said Birmelin, a math
Birmelin at first crawled about six feet.
teacher at Orchard Lake Middle School
"The boat captain kept telling me to
and former Detroit Maccabi swimmer.
stand up, but I was concerned about
"It's the greatest challenge of any open-
collapsing after being horizontal in the
water swim."
water for so lone she said. "I finally
Swimming the Channel is called the
put one foot down, then the other, and
"Mt. Everest" of open-water swimming
wobbled like Bambi before coming to a
because it's so physically demanding.
full stand."
Birmelin endured chilly water tem-
Noah exited the water behind her,
peratures that ranged from 56 to 63
and the couple embraced. The boat
degrees, strong currents, jellyfish and
crew sounded a horn and waved an
wakes from large ships. She said it was
American flag. Jenny waved Michigan
the pockets of cold water that caused
State University and Detroit Tigers flags
the most problems.
in honor of her alma mater and favorite
"All of the sudden, the water temper- sports team.
ature dropped from 63 to 56 degrees:'
After returning to England, Jenny
she said. "Even a one-degree drop is a
signed a wall at the White Horse Pub in
lot. I didn't expect a seven-degree drop:' Dover, a tradition for successful Channel
On board the boat that escorted
swimmers. Her signature included a
Birmelin across the English Channel
drawing of the Tigers' Old English "D."
were her husband, Noah Birmelin, Aunt
Now Jenny is setting her sights on
Lynn Frikker from Bloomfield Hills and the remaining two challenges of the
three friends from the Ford Athletic
Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming
Swim and Triathlon club, her Livonia-
— the 21-mile crossing of the Catalina
based swim club.
Channel in Southern California and
They cheered her on and supplied
a 28.5-mile swim around Manhattan
her the essential food and hot liquids.
Island. As of 2010, only 45 swimmers
"I couldn't have crossed the English
had achieved the Triple Crown.
Channel without my support system:'
Jenny started swimming when
Birmelin said. "The people on the boat
she was 6. She competed on the
never took their eyes off me, especially
Farmington High School girls swim
when I started my swim in the early-
team and with the MSU water polo
morning darkness. And they always
club and was named a Long Distance
knew what to say to keep me going. I
All-American for 2009-2010 by U.S.
didn't bring people with me who would Masters Swimming. She's a volunteer
tell me it's OK to get out of the water."
masters swim coach for her swim club.
English Channel crossing rules allow
She swam in the 1990 JCC Maccabi
companions to be in the water with
Games in Detroit and 1993 Maccabi
the swimmer after the first two hours.
Games in St. Louis. Li
Birmelin's husband and Karen Rosinski
from the swim club swam alongside
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