Join Friends of Virgin Islands National Park on Sunday, April 18, for the first practice swim before the big race. Meet at Maho Bay beach at 8:30 a.m. and swim the short-course portion of the race to Cinnamon (approximately one mile). Swim assisted (with fins, mask, snorkel) or swim unassisted. Safety boats will be in the water for support. For those on St. Thomians, there is plenty of time to take the 7:30 a.m. ferry and join in.
Two more practice swims will be offered on Sunday May 2 (Maho to Cinnamon or Trunk) and Sunday May 16(Maho to Cinnamon, Trunk or Hawksnest), also at 8:30 a.m. The race itself will be held at 8 a.m. on Sunday, May 30. Registration is now open. For more details or to register, go to www.friendsvinp.org/swim or call 779-4940.
The Beach-to-Beach Power Swim is four simultaneous events:
1) A short course (approx 1 mile) solo swim from Maho Beach to Cinnamon Beach;
2) An intermediate course (approx 2¼ miles) solo swim from Maho Beach to Trunk Beach;
3) A long course (approx. 3½ miles) solo swim from Maho Beach to Hawksnest Beach; and,
4) A long course (approx. 3½ miles) 3-person relay team swim from Maho Beach to Hawksnest Beach, with transition points at Cinnamon and Trunk beaches.
Awards will be given in age groups; and to cap off the event, the awards ceremony will be held along with a Beach BBQ at Oppenheimer Beach.
The Beach-to-Beach Power Swim is for both competitive swimmers and relatively serious recreational swimmers. To make it as accessible and fun for as many participants as possible, swimmers may compete using snorkels, fins, exposure suits, etc. in a separate “assisted-swimmer” category.
Advance registration (through May 7) is only $30. General registration (May 8-28) is $40, and late registration, available only at the Pre-Race Meeting on May 29, is $50. There will be no race day registration. For youth 17 and under, theregistration fees is$15 through May 28, and $25 on May 29.
Swimmers can register either online at www.friendsvinp.org/swim, by phone at 779-4940, in person at: the Friends of the Park Store in Mongoose Junction, Connections in either Cruz Bay or Coral Bay, at Caribbean Surf Co. at Red Hook and Havensight locations on St. Thomas, or at SCUBA on St. Croix
