Swimmers Set To Swarm Alamitos Bay

By Shereen Oca
Staff Writer

Throngs of swimmers will charge the waters of Alamitos Bay this Sunday, July 27, participating in a decades-long community tradition called the Naples Island Swim.

Early that morning, approximately 170 to 200 athletes are expected to gather around Bay Shore Avenue and 54th Place, all warming up and stretching in preparation for either the one-mile or the three-mile swim, said Bill Roberts, race coordinator and member of the Long Beach Grunion Swim Team.

That area swim team has been putting on the Southern Pacific Masters Association sanctioned race for two years now, and according to Roberts, the Naples Island Swim isn’t solely about athleticism.

“The goal is to give back to the community of Long Beach and the swim community at large,” Roberts said. “It has a long history in Long Beach. It’s a good way for people to have a relaxed swim and a good time in the sun.”

The course for the 1.2-mile “Classic Swim,” which will begin at 9 a.m., will take swimmers through the Rivo Alto Canal around Treasure Island. Twenty minutes later, the 2.7-mile “Challenge Swim” will have racers gliding through the waterways surrounding Naples in a counterclockwise direction, hugging the island as they travel around. Both races will begin near 5437 E. Ocean Blvd.

Also for both races, medals will be awarded to the top three competitors in each gender and age group. (Age groups will be broken down into five-year increments starting at 18.).

But as Roberts recalled from last year, not all swimmers are in it to win.

“I hope the swim is whatever the (participants) want it to be,” Roberts said. “Some just want to finish, some want their best time and some are just here on a Sunday morning.”

Swimmers can sign up at 7 a.m. on the day of the event. Registration is $30, and all participants must be United States Masters Swimming members. Those who are not yet members will be able to apply at the race for $40.

The Naples Island Swim is open only to those 18 years of age and older. Wetsuits and neoprene caps are permitted; however, those who wear them will not be eligible for a medal.

For more information on the race and its rules, call (310) 200-3016 or visit www.naplesislandswim.com.

For details on the Long Beach Grunion Swim Team, call 252-0220 or go to www.lbgrunions.com.

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