May 25, 2008 — Ed Gendereau of Dover, N.H., led the field of 65 Sunday at the end of the 3.5-mile course at the Friends of the V.I. National Park Beach-to-Beach Power Swim on St. John.
Now in its fifth year, the annual swim event attracted 165 participants and benefits the Park Service's Summer Learn to Swim program, where 40 to 60 kids learn to swim in the ocean. The Beach Swim is the Friends' signature event, according to Karen Brady, the organization's development director.
The race has three courses with varying distances. All start at Maho Bay, with the short course finishing at Cinnamon Beach (approximately one mile), the intermediate course finishing at Maho Beach (approximately 2.25 miles) and the distance course finishes at Hawksnest Beach. A three-person relay race also uses the long course, with transitions at the short and intermediate finishes.
Many expected to see two-time Power Swim winner Annie Myrvang, 17, out to defend her title for the distance race. (See "St. Croix Youth Tops Again in Beach-to-Beach Power Swim.") Reached at home, Myrvang said health reasons kept her from preparing for this year's race, but she plans to try to bring the trophy back to the territory next year.
"I'm back training now and am excited to race again next year," she said.
Myrvang's absence left the field wide open for a new winner, and the trophy went to the vacationing Gendereau. The first-time participant incorporated the race into his trip.
"The water was calm," he said. "It was not a fight with the elements."
Gendereau's winning time on the Maho-to-Hawksnest course was 1:17.00.
Not far behind and less than 1/100 of a second apart were second- and third-place finishers Eli Bass, 13, and Ryan Mioduski, 14, swim teammates and neighbors from Falls Church, Va. Their times were 1:21:21 and 1:21:22, respectively.
Tortola's Louise Wearmouth was the first woman swimmer across the finish in the long course.
"I don't do any organized training," Wearmouth said. "I just like to keep fit enough so that that I am comfortable out there."
Intermediate course honors went to Monica Nista of New York. She swims for the N.Y. Athletic Club.
"This is a fun warmup for me," she said. Nista incorporated the St John event into her training program for her first triathlon coming up in just two weeks in New Jersey.
Fifteen-year-old twins Caroline Kupfer and brother Cameron of St. Croix came in first and third in their divisions, respectively, on the short course. Caroline's time was 24:45.
"She trains more than me," Cameron said. The twins train with the Dolphin Swim Team on St. Croix.
The race results:
Short Solo
Female
1. Caroline Kupfer, St. Croix 24:45
2. Jade Barber, St. Thomas 30:34
3. Heather Ackley, St. Thomas 33:27
Male
1. Augusto Cividini, Key Biscayne, Fla. 21:26
2. Harry Lenahan, St. Thomas 27:16
3. Cameron Kupfer, St. Croix 27:37
Short Assisted
Female
1. Charlotte Walsh, St. Thomas 30:29
2. Kelly Beach, St. Thomas 31:02
3. Sharee Winslow, St. Thomas 32:10
Male
1. Brad Douglas, South Lyon, Mich. 25:30
2. Ron Hawes, St. John 26:31
3. Justin Doran, St. John 27:18
Intermediate Solo
Female
1. Monica Nista, N.Y. 54:03
2. Erica Iffland, Wilmingon, Del. 1:00:30
3. Jude Woodcock, St. John 1:03:05
Male
1. Eric Bauman, St. John 1:02:40
2. Daniel Pike, Cincinnati 1:06:29
3.Tyler Smith, St. Thomas 1:07:14
Intermediate Assisted
Female
1. Whitney Bloom, N.Y. 1:00:27
2. Beverly Clendinen, St. Thomas 1:06:17
3. Elizabeth Wallace, St. Thomas 1:09:31
Male
1. David Holzman, St. John 1:00:05
2. Michael Nail, St. Thomas 1:09:30
3. William Fish, St. John 1:59:45
Long Solo
Female
1. Louise Wearmouth, Tortola, British Virgin Islands 1:28:07
2. Megan Cliff, St. John 1:29:54
3. Elizabeth Conklin, St. Thomas 1:35:36
Male
1. Edmund Gendreau, Dover, N.H. 1:17:00
2. Eli Bass, Falls Church, Va. 1:21:21
3. Ryan Mioduski, Falls Church, Va. 1:21:22
Long Assisted
Female
1. Helen Ann Tucker, Rockville, Md. 1:42:46
2. Meredith Fletcher, St. John 1:43:49
3. Christy Dove, St. John 1:54:10
Male
1. Travis Kruegar, St. Thomas 1:28:42
2. John Holden, Orlando, Fla. 1:43:34
3. Rick Neilsen, Escondido, Calif. 1:44:43
Long Relay
1. Craig Barshinger, St. John
2. Javier Cividini, Key Biscayne, Fla.
3. Dennis Reedy, Manassas, Va.
Long Relay Assisted
Female Finisher
1. Bonnie O'Rourke-Barr, St. Thomas
For more results from the event or to get more information about the Friends of the V.I. National Park, visit friendsvinp.org/swim/ or call (340) 779-4940.
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