Gary Emich Wins Fiji Fun

David Handley, director and founder of Fiji Swims, announced that the San Francisco legend Gary Emich won the randomly awarded Fiji Swims free open water swimming getaway prize.

If there is anyone who will appreciate swimming in Fiji, it is surely Gary who has done the following swims:

595 Alcatraz Island non-wetsuit crossings, the Rottnest Channel Swim, a Sydney Harbour swim, a Swim Around Key West relay, a Santa Barbara Channel relay, a Bay of Naples relay, a Tampa Bay Florida relay, a Boston Light relay, a Manhattan Island Marathon Swim relay, a Catalina Channel relay, a Strait of Gibraltar relay, a Loch Ness swim, an English Channel relay, in the Amazon River and in Lake Titicaca in Peru, as well as working as a swim guide for Swim Trek and for Baja Expeditions in Mexico.

Photos of Gary from his website, including him as a child (second from left) observing a shark onshore.

Note: we recommend visiting the Sculpture by the Sea exhibitions in Bondi, Australia between October 29th and November 15th as well in Cottesloe, Australia and Aarhus, Denmark.

Copyright © 2009 by Steven Munatones

Locals Win Santa Barbara Channel Relay Race

Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California.

Team Mission Wealth Management of Santa Barbara with members Felipe Rivera, Cindy Braden, Corey Chan, Jerry Mahoney, Scott Reed and captain Seth Streeter won the 26-mile Santa Barbara Channel Swim 6x6 Relay Race today.

The relay began at 1:35 am on Saturday morning from a cove on Santa Cruz Island in 66ºC (18.8ºF) water. Without the light of the moon, the swimmers strapped glow sticks on themselves, their kayakers and escort boats. Each team had their own color to distinguish themselves in the dark. After fighting through some heavy swells, the teams faced mostly good conditions until swimming through some wind and chop as they arrived in Santa Barbara at East Beach. Along the way, the swimmers saw a large pod of dolphins and a few seals.

The six members of the Mission Wealth Management each did two legs of 35 minutes, then one leg of 30 minutes and a final leg of 20 minutes before all swimming in together to finish in 11 hours and 27 minutes.

Next year, the Santa Barbara Channel Swimming Association will increase the number of teams in the event, allowing additional teams to be formed by any individuals who express an interest.

Photo of Emilio Casanueva from the Santa Barbara Channel Swimming Association during the early morning hours.

Copyright © 2008 by World Open Water Swimming Association

Santa Barbara Channel 6x6 Relay

Former USA Swimming National Open Water Team members, Patrick Dideum and Rendy Lynn Opdycke, will swim on the favored team during the 26-mile Santa Barbara Channel Swim 6x6 Relay Race. The relay begins tonight from Santa Cruz Island, will continue through Friday night and will finish tomorrow morning sometime on East Beach in Santa Barbara.

Photo shows the 2007 winning team of John Bishop, Cindy Braden, Corey Chan, Jerry Mahoney, Scott Reed, and Seth Streeter in 12 hours and 48 minutes. Photo by Rhonda Johnson.