Course new-comer Bryson Mays of St. Croix posted a blazing 1:14:05 time on Sunday to win the 7th Annual Beach-to-Beach Power Swim hosted by Friends of Virgin Islands National Park. The 15-year-old resident and member of the Dolphins swim team should have probably been home studying for exams, but couldn’t resist the opportunity to challenge fellow teenager and 2009 champion Augusto Cividini to a contest of athletic skill over the 3 ½ -mile course. Cividini, 16, formerly of St. John, traveled from his home in Key Biscayne, Florida, to take 2nd place this year with a time of 1:23:30, beating out Jeff Wetzel, 54, of Austin, Texas by 7 seconds for the honor. Jeff’s wife, Sally Dykstra, took the crown in the ladies race with a time of 1:32:06.
A total of 195 swimmers participated in the event this year. Twenty-five states, all three U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Trinidad, Jamaica, Tortola and Spain were represented.
Friends president Joe Kessler thanked the Beach-to-Beach sponsors, “On behalf of the board of directors and staff of Friends of Virgin Islands National Park, I thank all of our sponsors, with special acknowledgement to our major sponsors, Virgin Islands Government, St. John Insurance Agency, Scotiabank, Mongoose Junction, TOPA Properties, Angel Electric, Theodore Tunick & Company, Maho Bay Camps, Freebird, St. John Hardware for their continued support. We cannot host an event like this without their participation nor can we thank them enough for their assistance.”
Other Race Results
Intermediate Course – overall course winners
Female: Leigh Epperson of Dallas, Texas — 1:09:58
Male: Mark Hanlon of Fairfax, Virginia — 1:07:33
Short Course – overall course winners
Female: Billy Murch Elliot of Matthews, North Carolina — 00:18:42
Male: Typ Whinery of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma — 00:18:40
Scotia Team Challenge Winners
“The Randoms,” Bryson Mays, Augusto Cividini and Emily Kelly with a combined time of 4:17:49
Complete results can be found at the Friends Web site www.friendsvinp.org/swim
