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Marathon Swimmer Charlotte Samuels: Working to Make Water Accessible to All

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By Melissa Berkay, Swimming World College Intern

Charlotte Samuels, a recent graduate of Ridgewood High School, has made her mark in the worlds of marathon swimming and community service. In 2015, she became the first person to swim a course of more than 20 miles from Long Island to the Jersey Shore through an area known as the New York Bight.

Samuels also became the youngest person in the world to complete the “Triple Crown” of open water swimming. She conquered the feat in 2014 when she mastered the English Channel, theManhattan Island Marathon Swim, and the Catalina Channel. The previous record had been held by an 18-year-old Australian swimmer.

Samuels’ swimming career launched at age 12 when a friend encouraged her to participate in a mile-long swim in the Potomac River in Maryland; it was then that she discovered her love for open water swimming.

https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/marathon-swimmer-charlotte-samuels-working-to-make-water-accessible-to-all/

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Ridgewood teen makes history by becoming 1st to swim 21 miles across New York Bight

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By Maria Guardado | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
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on August 22, 2015 at 7:38 PM, updated August 22, 2015 at 11:50 PM

Open-water swimming sensation Charlotte Samuels made history on Saturday by becoming the first person to swim 21 miles across the New York Bight.

NJ teen prepares to make 20-mile swim from Long Island to Jersey ShoreCharlotte Samuels, of Ridgewood, is preparing to swim 20 miles from Long Island to the Jersey Shore. This should be no problem after what she accomplished last summer, swimming the 28-mile Manhattan Island Marathon Swim, the 20-mile Catalina Channel and the 21-mile English Channel. (Video by John Munson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

Samuels, 17, began her journey at approximately 7:20 a.m. on Long Island’s Atlantic Beach and finished on the northern edge of Sea Bright, N.J., at 4:50 p.m. Though the Ridgewood teen had estimated that the swim would take 12 to 16 hours, she ended up cruising to a sub-10-hour finish.

While 10 hours in the water may seem daunting, it was a relatively smooth ride for Samuels, who last year completed a pair of 20-hour swims en route to becoming the world’s youngest Triple Crown swimmer.

https://www.nj.com/sports/index.ssf/2015/08/ridgewood_teen_becomes_1st_to_swim_20_miles_across.html

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She swims with the jellyfishes (and sharks): Fearless Ridgewood teen is an open-water star

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By Maria Guardado | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
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on August 21, 2015 at 7:00 AM, updated August 21, 2015 at 10:58 AM

LONG BEACH TOWNSHIP — Charlotte Samuels is at ease. It’s 9:30 a.m. and the sun is still rising, but sweltering heat already emanates, warming the strip of lagoon behind her family’s yellow vacation rental home in Loveladies. She’s sitting on the deck above the water, wearing a blue swimsuit, her dark curly hair slightly damp from having taken a dip in a nearby beach earlier this morning.

NJ teen prepares to make 20-mile swim from Long Island to Jersey ShoreCharlotte Samuels, of Ridgewood, is preparing to swim 20 miles from Long Island to the Jersey Shore. This should be no problem after what she accomplished last summer, swimming the 28-mile Manhattan Island Marathon Swim, the 20-mile Catalina Channel and the 21-mile English Channel. (Video by John Munson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

It’s been an unusually calm summer for Samuels, the Ridgewood teenager who last year became the youngest Triple Crown swimmer after completing a series of swims around the island of Manhattan, across the English Channel and across the Catalina Channel in California.

She traveled to Minnesota this June to participate in a poetry slam camp and then to Massachusetts in July to attend a writing program at Smith College. In between, she hung out with her family and friends, maximizing her free time before the start of her senior year at Ridgewood High School.

https://www.nj.com/sports/index.ssf/2015/08/how_ridgewood_teenager_charlotte_samuels_became_an.html

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Open-water Ridgewood swimmer continues her quest

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AUGUST 2, 2015    LAST UPDATED: SUNDAY, AUGUST 2, 2015, 9:43 AM
BY CHRIS HARRIS
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD

RIDGEWOOD — Open-water swimming sensation Charlotte Samuels has been having a truly memorable summer.

The record-setting 17-year-old attended a summer camp for poets in Minnesota some weeks ago. She’s also fresh from a young women’s writing workshop at Smith College in Massachusetts.

Plus, in a matter of weeks, Samuels will be back in the swell, doing what she loves most: traversing massive expanses of undulating water in awe-inspiring fashion.

Samuels became the youngest person to complete her sport’s Triple Crown when she made quick work of the English Channel in September, after swims around Manhattan and off the coast of California. Since April, she has been training for her next aquatic feat – a 12-hour swim between Long Island and the Jersey Shore. “I’m excited for this swim, which will cap what has been such a great summer,” Samuels said. “I can’t wait for this swim.”

Samuels began plotting her next big swim soon after making history in England last summer.

https://www.northjersey.com/towns/open-water-ridgewood-swimmer-continues-her-quest-1.1385023

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Charlotte Samuels of Ridgewood our very own Super Hero

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JULY 9, 2015    LAST UPDATED: THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2015, 1:20 AM
BY DARREN COOPER
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD

The Charlotte Samuels story isn’t close to being over, but the book is being written.

The Ridgewood senior is the youngest person to complete the triple crown of open water swimming, traversing the English Channel, Manhattan Island and the Catalina Channel off the Southern California coast.

The 17-year old now is working on a memoir of her experiences, titled “Guts,” and consulting with a literary agent.

“You have to have guts,” Samuels said. “You really have to put yourself out there to accomplish things.”

While Samuels is serious about her swimming and has a new challenge lined up, she also is serious about writing. “Guts” will not be ghostwritten.

This month, Samuels is attending a young women’s writing workshop at Smith College in Massachusetts. She is refining her book – and may use her swim across the English Channel as the frame for her other life experiences — and learning about poetry.

Back home, Samuels is a star whose exploits have made headlines all over New Jersey. She was honored at the New Jersey State House, spoke at halftime of a Ridgewood football game, and was grand marshal at the Ridgewood Fourth of July parade.

https://www.northjersey.com/sports/high-school-sports/girls-swimming/it-s-a-sure-thing-samuels-goes-the-distance-1.1371218

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Record breakers will lead Ridgewood Fourth of July Parade

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JULY 3, 2015    LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, JULY 3, 2015, 10:26 AM
BY DARIUS AMOS AND MARK KRULISH
STAFF WRITERS |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

Some accomplishments require years of work and training. Others fall right into place.

Planning for the Ridgewood Fourth of July Parade and Celebration is a full-time job; preparation begins in the early fall for the following year’s festivities. Developing the parade theme is one of the time-consuming tasks, but once that’s done, many pieces of the puzzle come together.

The selection of Ridgewood High School student Charlotte Samuels as this year’s parade grand marshal was a natural fit for the program’s “American Innovation” theme.

Ridgewood Fire Lt. Brendan Corcoran,

The same could be said about who was chosen as the parade committee’s honored guest.

According to Ridgewood Fourth of July Committee member Tara Masterson, the years of dedication Samuels and Corcoran put into their endeavors “embodied the spirit and motivation” America’s forefathers and inventors employed throughout the annals. Over the past year, both honorees have set individual world records in their respective sports.

“I was so honored to have been asked to be part of the Ridgewood Parade in such an incredible way,” Samuels said. “I was also very excited about the theme of the parade being American Innovation because I think that can be taken in so many ways. When I learned that the special guest at the parade would be Brendan Corcoran, who broke the firefighter’s mile record, I felt so lucky to be in the company of a town that has so many diverse talents and people.”

https://www.northjersey.com/community-news/community-events-and-announcements/parade-leaders-are-real-record-breakers-1.1368274

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Ridgewood marathon swimmer raises funds to help Paterson kids learn water safety

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Ridgewood marathon swimmer raises funds to help Paterson kids learn water safety

October 27, 2014, 7:27 AM    Last updated: Monday, October 27, 2014, 7:37 AM
By LINDA MOSS
Staff Writer |
The Record

RIDGEWOOD – Charlotte Samuels, the teenager who made headlines and broke a record when she swam the English Channel last month, turned a celebration Sunday into a fundraiser to help Paterson children learn how to swim.

The 16-year-old Ridgewood High School junior, who this year became the youngest person to complete the open-water swimming Triple Crown, and her parents invited more than 150 guests to an open house at their home in the village, where there was food and a huge congratulatory cake for Charlotte. The attendees included family, friends and mentors who helped Charlotte achieve her success in her demanding passion, long-distance swimming.

“We’re doing the party to thank people,” said Charlotte’s mother, Suzanne Samuels.

At the gathering the Samuels family also solicited donations for a cause close to its heart: Citizens for Swimming, a program in which Paterson youths are given swimming lessons at Graydon Pool in Ridgewood in the summer. This weekend’s event raised more than $1,500 for Citizens for Swimming, according to a preliminary tally of in-person and online donations.

“This is absolutely found money for us,” said the program’s director, Dawn Walter of Ridgewood, who attended the celebration.

– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/ridgewood-marathon-swimmer-raises-funds-to-help-paterson-kids-learn-water-safety-1.1118746#sthash.RIGXm5Gq.dpuf

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Ridgewood News editorial: We need more Charlottes and the Ridgewood blog Agrees

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Ridgewood News editorial: We need more Charlottes and the Ridgewood blog Agrees

SEPTEMBER 26, 2014    LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2014, 12:31 AM
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

Soon after she received accolades from the Ridgewood Board of Education this week, Charlotte Samuels, the 16-year-old world-record swimmer, made an admission: She’s already thinking about conquering the Ocean’s Seven. For those unfamiliar with the feat, which has been accomplished by only six people, it consists of open-water swims through channels from each of the seven continents.

– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/opinion/opinion-editorials/why-we-need-more-charlottes-1.1096746#sthash.Lq23Mc1N.dpuf

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Ridgewood Board of Education honors record-setting swimmer Charlotte Samuels

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Ridgewood Board of Education honors record-setting swimmer Charlotte Samuels

SEPTEMBER 22, 2014, 9:49 PM    LAST UPDATED: MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2014, 9:50 PM
BY CHRIS HARRIS
STAFF WRITER
THE RECORD

RIDGEWOOD — Open water swimming sensation Charlotte Samuels smiled widely Monday evening as the Board of Education recognized the 16-year-old athlete’s record-setting feat.

Charlotte — who recently returned from Britain, where she swam the English Channel to become the youngest person to complete open water swimming’s Triple Crown — thanked all the members of Ridgewood’s school board for the honor.

“This is the first time in my career I get to honor someone for breaking a world record,” said Superintendent of Schools Daniel Fishbein, before reading a resolution noting Charlotte’s swimming prowess.

The resolution expressed the board’s congratulations while extending to Charlotte “their best wishes for success in all future endeavors.”

Charlotte received a standing ovation from the 15-member audience, which also included her parents, Steven and Suzanne Samuels.

Sheila Brogan, the school board president, said she was both proud of the Ridgewood High School student, and “in awe” of her.

– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/ridgewood-board-of-education-honors-record-setting-swimmer-charlotte-samuels-1.1093974#sthash.NHxGxm9p.dpuf

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Ridgewood High School to Honor Charlotte Samuels, the youngest swimmer to complete open-water swimming’s Triple Crown

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Ridgewood High School to Honor Charlotte Samuels, the youngest swimmer to complete open-water swimming’s Triple Crown

Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood High School Junior Charlotte Samuels, the youngest swimmer to complete open-water swimming’s Triple Crown, will be honored by the high school for her accomplishment.

The brief (five-minute) ceremony will take place on RHS Stadium Field on Thursday, October 2 at 6:45 p.m., in advance of the Boys Varsity Football game against John F. Kennedy High School.

In July, Samuels, age 16, circumvented the Island of Manhattan, then went on to swim the Catalina Channel off the coast of California in August, and has now completed the 20-hour swim across the English Channel, landing on the French shore in September.

Ms. Samuels is also a member of the RHS swim team

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Congressman Scott Garrett Issues a Congratulations thru the Ridgewood Blog to Charlotte Samuels completion of the open water triple crown

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Congressman Scott Garrett Issues a Congratulations thru the Ridgewood Blog to Charlotte Samuels completion of the open water triple crown
September 13,2014
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Charlotte Samuels, 16, who became the youngest person to complete the Triple Crown of open-water swimming last week by crossing the English Channel.

Charlotte attained the Triple Crown of open-water swimming by circumnavigating Manhattan, and crossing California’s Catalina Channel and the English Channel, all during this summer.

Rep Scott Garrett ,took time out of his schedule to give us a call to congratulate  Charlotte Samuels on her fantastic accomplishment . The congressman  spoke eloquently congratulating Charlotte for all the hard work and perseverance and also congratulated Charlotte’s parents, Suzanne and Steven for all their hard work and support  without which this could never happen .

Garret remarked it was an awe inspiring accomplishment for this young lady and that her efforts were setting and example for a whole generation .

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Ridgewood plans honor for English Channel swimmer Charlotte Samuels

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Ridgewood plans honor for English Channel swimmer Charlotte Samuels

SEPTEMBER 12, 2014    LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2014, 1:21 AM
THE RECORD
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RIDGEWOOD — Village officials intend to celebrate the achievements of Charlotte Samuels, the 16-year-old Ridgewood athlete who this week became the youngest person to complete open swimming’s Triple Crown.

Through tears and frigid waters, she treaded her way across the English Channel to France.

At Wednesday’s Village Council meeting, Roberta Sonenfeld, the village manager, said Ridgewood officials have already been in touch with the Samuels family about plans to honor Charlotte for her feat.

– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/education/ridgewood-to-honor-endurance-swimmer-1.1086678#sthash.uc8WOXaI.dpuf

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Ridgewood teen all smiles after teary-eyed swimming triumph

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Charlotte Samuels after her record-breaking swim across the English Channel.

Ridgewood teen all smiles after teary-eyed swimming triumph


SEPTEMBER 9, 2014, 4:23 PM    LAST UPDATED: TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2014, 11:06 PM
BY CHRISTOPER MAAG
STAFF WRITER
THE RECORD

Charlotte Samuels cried her way across the English Channel.

She cried because she is small and her challenge was big: A 16-year-old girl chasing a world record, swimming for miles in open water through the blind dark night.

She cried because she was lucky: Most channel attempts require a year of planning and worry, but somehow she hired a boat and a crew in weeks.

She cried because she is loved: As she sprinted the final three miles to France, her parents chanted encouragement every time she lifted her head for air.

– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/ridgewood-teen-all-smiles-after-teary-eyed-swimming-triumph-video-1.1084208#sthash.iMzjfmG5.dpuf

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Ridgewood teen’s record-setting swim has family and classmates cheering

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Ridgewood teen’s record-setting swim has family and classmates cheering

SEPTEMBER 8, 2014, 5:11 PM    LAST UPDATED: MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2014, 10:49 PM
BY STEPHANIE AKIN AND CHRIS HARRIS
STAFF WRITERS
THE RECORD

In a matter of hours, she would make history by becoming the youngest person ever to achieve the Triple Crown of open-water swimming — completing a swim across the English Channel after circumnavigating Manhattan in June and swimming the Catalina Channel off the coast of California in August.

But as Charlotte Samuels, a 16-year-old from Ridgewood, crept through choppy, frigid water Monday afternoon, that goal seemed impossibly distant. She could see the French coastline. But the land didn’t seem to be getting any closer, she shouted to her mother, Suzanne, who was cheering her on from a tracking boat.

The team on the boat began reading her messages from supporters, Suzanne said in an email. A message from her swimming coach told her to “Keep her head down and keep swimming.”

Related: Ridgewood teen becomes youngest to complete Triple Crown swimming attempt

And so she did.

She sang songs in her head. She thought, at times, that she was sleeping. And she faced swells of 4 to 6 feet that forced her to sprint the last two miles, her mother said.

By the time Charlotte scrambled onto the beach on the French shore around 5 p.m. (11 a.m. New Jersey time), all that seemed like it might have been a dream, she told her mother later. Not only had she reached her goal, she had done all three swims in just over two months, perhaps the shortest span that anyone had ever completed the swimming trifecta, Suzanne said.

– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/ridgewood-teen-s-record-setting-swim-has-family-and-classmates-cheering-1.1083476#sthash.4mIjLGmR.dpuf

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Ridgewood teen becomes youngest to complete Triple Crown swimming attempt

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photo posted by the crew of her guide boat, Anastasia.

Ridgewood teen becomes youngest to complete Triple Crown swimming attempt

September 7, 2014, 1:19 PM    Last updated: Monday, September 8, 2014, 1:14 PM
By CHRISTOPHER MAAG
staff writer
The Record

Charlotte Samuels, a 16-year-old from Ridgewood, made history today by becoming the youngest person ever to achieve the Triple Crown of open-water swimming. After circumnavigating Manhattan in July and swimming the 20-mile Catalina Channel off the coast of California in August, she swam across the English Channel in 20 hours, 44 minutes and 27 seconds.

Landing on the shore of France at about 5 p.m. (11 a.m. New Jersey time), she became the youngest person to complete the Triple Crown, smashing the previous record set just last month by an 18-year-old Australian.

Dixie Martin/special to the record
Charlotte Samuels aboard an inflatable boat Monday after completing her swim.

Charlotte faced challenges throughout the journey. Temperatures fell through the night — by 1:30 off the coast of Calais the water temperature dropped to 64 degrees and the air to 60. For long stretches she faced headwinds of 10 to 15 miles an hour.

Several ships crossed close to her path, including a large passenger ferry and two tankers. A French fishing trawler that passed within 600 yards of her position.

Charlotte was protected throughout by the tracking boat Anastasia. The boat’s crew guided her route in accordance with the tides alongside her parents, Suzanne and Steven Samuels, who were also onboard.

– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/ridgewood-teen-becomes-youngest-to-complete-triple-crown-swimming-attempt-1.1082700#sthash.YJ1bzVnN.dpuf