Mark Spratt

NAME:  Mark Spratt

HOMETOWN: Davenport, Iowa

BLS EXPERIENCE: Rookie

WHY BLS? When I returned to competitive swimming in 1990 the only open water race that mattered to me was the La Jolla Rough Water swim. I always thought it was the oldest open water race in America. How wrong I was. Once I found out Boston Light is the oldest open water race in America, I knew I had to swim it one day. I am looking forward to finally swimming across Boston Harbor.

MY CREW: Christopher Graefe and Jeffrey Jacobson, with Captain Van Christie

FUN FACT: In 2013 I swam the 17.5-mile Ederle Swim between Manhattan and Sandy Hook, New Jersey. As I swam under the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge I figured I would finish the swim and never do a long swim like that again. Ten years and another 49 successful marathons swims later I’m still at it.