The first ocean swimming competition of Semana Nautica was on Wednesday night at Nite Moves. Swimmers hit the water at Leadbetter cove to begin the 1k swim.
Semana Nautica’s Ocean Swimmer of the Year competition is underway after Wednesday’s 1k swim at Nite Moves, won by defending champion Ben Brewer and Olivia Smith.
The remaining events include tonight’s Reef & Run followed by this weekend’s 1-mile race on Saturday and the 3-mile event on Sunday. Next week’s ocean swimming events are Nite Moves, Reef & Run, and the 6-mile ocean swim on Sunday, July 13.
To qualify for the award, swimmers must participate in each of the following ocean swim races:
1) Semana Nautica 1-mile ocean swim (July 5)
2) one of the two Reef & Run 1-mile ocean swims (July 3, 2014 and July 10, 2014)
3) one of the two Nite Moves 1k ocean swims (July 2, 2014 and July 9, 2014)
4) either the 3-mile ocean swim or the 6-mile ocean swim (July 6 & July 13, respectively)
Brewer, a 16-year-old Santa Barbara Swim Club member, was last year’s male Ocean Swimmer of the Year. Brewer was way out in front of the pack, finishing in 11 minutes and 27 seconds.
Smith, another 16 year old, was the top female finisher and second overall. Smith recorded a time of 12:32.
Both times were the fastest of the 2014 Nite Moves season after 10 events, helped by the ocean temperature on Wednesday being the warmest of the year.
The male and female Ocean Swimmers of the Year will be memorialized with his and her names on a plaque at the East Beach Bath House.
One hundred and twenty-four swimmers completed the 1k race at Nite Moves on Wednesday. (Presidio Sports Photo)
