Elite Triathlete and Father of Two Drowns Outside Luxury Hotel

Spencer Korwin entered the water for a morning swim and never returned. The 38-year-old triathlete and wellness company owner had been staying with his family at the historic Pridwin hotel on Crescent Beach, on New York’s Shelter Island.

At about 8 a.m., while his family remained at the hotel, Korwin followed his usual routine and went to the private hotel dock before swimming into Shelter Island Sound. When he had not returned by noon, his wife, Carly, contacted hotel staff. A search soon brought sirens, helicopters and boat engines to the normally quiet resort.

The news shocked people who knew Korwin’s fitness and swimming ability. “He was a great swimmer,” said John Lippert, Korwin’s longtime friend and co-owner of Manhattan’s SportsLab, where Korwin began his career.

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He was a great swimmer.

Korwin began strength training as a teenager under Lippert’s guidance. After graduating from Syracuse University in 2010, he returned to SportsLab as a trainer. In 2012, he qualified for the United States triathlon team and competed at the world championships in Auckland, New Zealand. He also won local events including the Montauk Point Lighthouse Triathlon and the Mighty Montauk Sprint, becoming a familiar figure in the Hamptons sports community.

Nearly six years ago, Korwin founded Korwin Health & Wellness, seeking a more flexible schedule for his family. He trained athletes and recreational competitors and advised them on nutrition, sleep and balance while continuing to prepare for demanding Ironman events. Friends described him as a family man and an outdoor enthusiast who enjoyed rowing, skiing and surfing. “He was the kind of person friends would turn to if they wanted to take their children camping, surfing or fishing. He would literally take them by the hand and show them the way,” Lippert said. Korwin leaves behind two daughters, aged four and one.

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He was the kind of person friends would turn to if they wanted to take their children camping, surfing or fishing. He would literally take them by the hand and show them the way.