Ben Brewer posted an impressive 1.000 average for the week, while Olivia Smith recorded a solid .750.
Brewer went 3-for-3 in open water swim events during the Semana Nautica summer sports festival. He followed up his 1-mile victory on Saturday by successfully defending his title in the 3-mile ocean swim on Sunday at East Beach. He finished in just over an hour, clocking 1:01.27.
Brewer started the week by winning the Nite Moves 1k swim.
Smith, a Santa Barbara Swim Club teammate of Brewer’s, was the female champion in the 3-mile swim and was fourth overall in 1:06.08. The title was her third out of four events.
Swim club members Alex Roderick (1:04.7) and Chris Robinson (1:05.01) finished second and third, respectively, on Sunday, while Ed Smith led the way for the adult swimmers, placing fifth in 1:07.02.
Brewer prefers swimming in the lead, so the 16 year old took off right away and opened up a sizable lead after the first turn.
“I tried to go out hard after the first turn, and try to stay on my own because I didn’t know much any other strategy to do,” said Brewer, who’s aiming to win the Semana Nautica Swimmer of the Year award for the second straight summer. He has a Reef and Run Series mile swim to complete on Thursday.
Sunday’s field of 94 swimmers was blessed with ideal conditions. The water was warm and calm, and there was only slight breeze.
“The day was really calm and the water was just smooth and nice to swim in,” Brewer described. “And, the fact they switched the course, there was no sun in your eyes.”
The course was set up where the longer portion of the swim was to the west, toward Stearns Wharf.
Smith said she really didn’t have a strategy going into the 3-miler.
“I was just trying to stick with people and go for it,” she said.
Her first-place finish gave her three victories and a second place in the four events that go toward the Swimmer of the Year award.
The awards for the male and female swimmers will be announced at the conclusion of Semana Nautica.
AGE GROUP WINNERS:
Women’s 50-59 Elizabeth Bosacci 1:31.05
Women’s 50-54 Holly Joynuckles 1:21.20
Women’s 45-49 Marcie Kjoller 1:16.55
Women’s 40-44 Hilary McAvoy 1:22.37
Women’s 35-39 Alethea Butler 1:16.09
Women’s 25-24 Karen Schultz 1:15.05
Women’s 18-24 Courtney Weigand 1:10.31
Women’s 18-under Olivia Smith 1:06.08
Men’s 70+ Larry Raffaelli 1:19.13
Men’s 65-69 Tom Ettinger 1:16.28
Men’s 60-64 Bob Kitson 1:38.01
Men’s 55-59 Bart Simmons
Men’s 50-54 Kurt Baron 1:10.58
Men’s 45-49 Dan Frost 1:16.56
Men’s 40-44 Chip Blankenhorn 1:08.53
Men’s 35-39 Ed Smith 1:07.02
Men’s 25-34 Zack Bertges 1:43.46
Men’s 18-24 Guillaume Dezuwirek 1:20.52
Men’s 18-under Ben Brewer 1:01.27
