Getting A Legge Up In Bermuda's Round The Sound Swim

John Legge from Southampton won the 10K race at the Round the Sound Swim in Bermuda this weekend.

According to photographer Patricia Sener, the morning air smelled like warm honey as 260 swimmers competed in distances ranging from 800 meters to 10K in the scenic Hamilton Sound.

Swimmers included Duncan Taylor, the newly appointed governor of the Cayman Islands, who competed in the 4K, along with swimmers from Bermuda, Canada, Dubai, England, and the US.

The swimmers were once again guided by the experienced hand of race organizer and 2008 World Open Water Swimming Man of the Year Randy Nutt (shown on left).

The Governor of Bermuda came out to hand out awards to the top finishers who included 13-year-old Christian Parfitt (12:24) in the 0.8K race, 14-year-old Benedict Parfitt (30:19) in the 2K race, 43-year-old Lisa Helmer (1:03:44) in the 4K race, 14-year-old Peter Kalibat (1:46:40) in the 7.25K race and 32-year-old John Legge (2:27:00) in the 10K race.

In the 4K race, women took the first four places with Lisa Helmer, Stephanie Myles, Melinda Page and Barbara Cronin-Stanari leading the pack.

In another race note, 77-year-old Christopher Smith finished the 10K race in a very respectable 4:08:32.

The top 25 swimmers in the 10K race included swimmers from Bermuda, Great Britain, Venezuela, India and 17 different American states::

1. John Legge from Southampton, Bermuda (32 years old), 2:27:00
2. Kevin Insley from Bermuda (45), 2:30:41
3. Jimmy Welborn from Chattanooga Tennessee, USA (54), 2:32:05
4. Megan Kelly from Connecticut, USA (30), 2:34:57
5. Mike Cash from Bermuda (41), 2:37:36
6. Stacey Mehringer from Massachusetts, USA (26), 2:41:01
7. Nick Strong from Bermuda (33), 2:43:57
8. Karim Mabrouk from Connecticut, USA (22), 2:46:40
9. Doug Butters from Massachusetts, USA (27), 2:48:50
10. Paul Degiulio from Bermuda (49), 2:49:13
11. Peter Hallatt from Hamilton, Bermuda (28), 2:50:05
12. Russell Harbach from Florida, USA (54), 2:50:53
13. Michelle Senecal from London, UK (32), 2:51:48
14. Stephen Castree from Bermuda (37), 2:53:18
15. Rachel Handren from Massachusetts, USA (34), 2:53:59
16. Patrick Costello from Massachusetts, USA (50), 2:54:24
17. Paul Goudreau from Massachusetts, USA (43), 2:54:55
18. Sinead Fitzgibbon from New York, USA (39), 2:55:03
19. David Miner from New York, USA (41), 2:55:19
20. Annette Budge from Bermuda (40), 2:56:17
21. Nick Deards from Bermuda (50), 2:56:22
22. Kimberly Plewa from New Jersey (26), 3:00:52
23. Ray Knox from Connecticut (51), 3:03:03
24. Trevor Heller from Connecticut (17), 3:03:44
25. Andrew Sneath from Florida (45), 3:06:09

In the 800-meter event, 77-year-old Richard Ellis won the 60+ year old division as well as the 40-59 year old division and took second among swimmers ages 20-39. A renowned American and World masters swimming champion, Richard has been successful all his life, "I am very competitive by nature. I wake up an older person, bt after swimming, I feel young again. Everyone should keep active, mentally and physically, as much as they can."

Information courtesy of race photographer Patricia Sener.