Hundreds flocked to the cold morning waters of Alamitos Bay to kick off the 121st annual Naples Island Swim on Sunday, August 18.
The Naples Island Swim is an open water swimming competition that was founded in 1903. Officials say the event is an excellent competition for beginners, intermediates and experts in open water swimming, and this proves to be the case, as people of all ages come to compete.
According to officials, it continues to be one of the most popular water sports events in Long Beach.
“Our youngest swimmer is 6 and our oldest swimmer is 83,” said chairman Greg Shea. “We have parents, grandparents, children and grandchildren all swimming together. It’s really beautiful to see.”
With about 730 participants, this year’s event was the largest Naples Swim in its history, surpassing the 1970 participation of 700 swimmers, Shea said.
“I run the mile I normally run and just started again a few years ago after about a 10-year break,” said Robynn Pennala, 62, of Long Beach, who was participating in the race for the 15th time.
“It’s a very competitive meet. I think a lot of the swimmers are part of different water polo or swim clubs and Long Beach is known for all of that… so for them it’s like a race. For me it’s more about can I do it and can I stay healthy. A long time ago it was more competitive for me.”
Sunday’s first race began at 9 a.m. with 80 Long Beach children ages 14 and under ready to venture into the open water for the 500-yard swim.
Proceeds from the event will be used to fund youth swimming programs in Long Beach. The organization provides financial support to Title I children who are part of the YMCA of Greater Long Beach so they can attend classes and participate in the event, Shea said. This is part of the organization’s partnership with Aquatic Capital of America.
Both the 1-mile and 3-mile swims started on the northwest side of the US Sailing Center between the pier and the small swim area. Each race featured returning champions, and many world-class athletes competed in the 3-mile swim.
“We’re doing some innovative things this year, we’re having a team championship,” Shea said. “For teams with more than 10 swimmers, we get their finish times and the top five finishers from each team and they’re scored similarly to cross country. We’ll see how that goes, it’s our first year.”
Interest in the team championship has increased, he added. Last year there were 16 teams, this year there are almost 30 teams.
Family, friends and community members lined up along Bayshore Avenue and Ocean Boulevard to catch a glimpse of the participants trudging through the area trying to reach the finish line.
“I’m running the mile and I just saw the distance we’re going to swim and I’m excited about it,” said Michael Kieran of Manhattan Beach, who was competing in Naples for the first time but has competed in other swim meets.
Kieran said he appreciates “the healthy, competitive nature of the race. I run just over a mile four nights a week, so I’m ready and excited to get to the finish line.”
Long Beach legend Bruce McRae and restaurant owner John Morris of Boathouse on the Bay served as swim marshals and rode in a gondola that led the three-mile swim.
Many stakeholders in Alamitos Bay worked to make the event possible, including Omar Naranjo, Captain of Long Beach Marine Safety, Alyssa Gonzalez of the Special Events and Filming Division, Bryan Plante of the Marine Bureau and Third District Councilmember Kristina Duggan.
Other organizations such as the Alamitos Bay Yacht Club, Long Beach Yacht Club, Long Beach Rowing Club, Kahakai Paddlers, US Sailing Center and Kayaks on the Water also helped.
Photographer Howard Freshman contributed to this report
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