St. Helena resident Paul Asmuth is about to give another meaning to the phrase “going the distance.”

Asmuth has been inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame.

Asmuth’s accomplishments and contributions will be recognized and his name and biography will be recorded in the ISHOF Museum among others who have made similar contributions to the aquatic disciplines worldwide. 

This year’s ISHOF Induction Ceremony and Dinner will be held on May 8, 2010, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

The ISHOF Aquatic Festival Weekend features several other events, including the AT&T USA Diving Grand Prix (all day, May 6-9), the Hall of Fame open water swim (May 8), International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame Induction luncheon (May 8) and the Paragon Awards (May 7). 

When asked if he saw his induction, Asmuth said: “At some point in the future. I was nominated before, but you just don’t know when you’re going to be selected.” 

“It’s a great blessing to both me and my family,” Asmuth said. “To have my mom and dad still be alive is the biggest thrill to me.”

As an athlete, distance swimming was Asmuth’s forte. The St. Helena resident, who began swimming at age seven, competed for Arizona State University.

After college, he raced as a marathon swimmer for 13 years and was named world champion for seven years.

It was only fitting that Asmuth would coach in the summer Olympics in the first year that marathon swimming (10 kilometers or 6.2 miles) was allowed as an Olympic event. The swimmers competed in the Olympic Rowing Basin in Beijing, China in the summer of 2008.

While 10K open water swimming has existed for several years, the International Olympic Committee formally added the event to the 2008 Beijing Olympics two years ago.

Asmuth held the World Title in marathon swimming seven times while competing on the professional marathon “circuit” from 1980 to 1992.

During his marathon swimming career, Asmuth won every major race competed in at least once and still holds the record for six of those swims. Most notable of those records are: Capri-Naples, Naples, Italy, 21 miles in 6:35, set in 1982 and La Traversee Internationale du Lac St. Jean, Roberval, Quebec, 40 miles in 17:06, set in 1989.

Asmuth was a world champion six years in a row from 1980-1985 and once again in 1988. He won the Atlantic City Marathon eight times in 13 competitions. Asmuth competed 11 times in Magog, Quebec (winning six). He took part 10 times in Lac St. Jean (winning three). Asmuth competed six times in Capri-Naples (winning three).

In 1985 Asmuth set a men’s world record for swimming the English Channel in 8 hours, 12 minutes. He was also the first person to swim the 30 miles from Nantucket to Cape Cod in 1986 with a time of 12 hours and 1 minute.

In 2003 Asmuth competed in the 36km marathon swim from Capri to Naples, Italy finishing in a time of 8 hours seven minutes.

After only three years of marathon swimming competition, he was inducted in 1982 to the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Asmuth swam competitively for almost 40 years. He attended Arizona State University, where he was a three-time NCAA All-American and captain of the swim team.

Asmuth lives in St. Helena with his wife and two children and is currently the General Manager of The Napa Valley Reserve. He also serves on the Meadowood Napa Valley Executive Committee.

“It’s the greatest honor that a swimmer can be awarded,” Asmuth said. “There are about 150 people around the world that vote.”

The International Swimming Hall of Fame, Inc. (ISHOF) was established in 1965 and is a not-for-profit educational organization located in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Its mission is to promote the benefits and importance of swimming as a key to fitness, good health, quality of life, and the water safety of all adults and children. It accomplishes this through operation of the International Swimming Hall of Fame, a dynamic museum and shrine dedicated to the history, memory, and recognition of the famous swimmers, divers, water polo players, synchronized swimmers and people involved in life-saving activities and education whose lives and accomplishments inspire, educate, and provide role models for people around the world.

As for his plans in the future as an athlete or coach, Asmuth quipped: “I have no plans as an athlete but I stay in shape. As a coach, I am continuing to advise the open water national team with head coach Mark Shubert. I just take it one year at a time and see how it goes. I really enjoy doing it.”·

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