The 10th annual Beach to Beach Power Swim is set for 8 a.m. Sunday, and with the entries capped at 300, time is running out to register. Last year, 283 people participated, raising $20,000 for Friends of V.I. National Park projects.
“It celebrates the park’s beaches and water,” said Friends President Joe Kessler.
Kessler said he expects about half the participants to come from outside the territory.
The Beach to Beach Power Swim has three courses to make it accessible to people with many levels of swimming ability. “Anybody who’s comfortable in the water can do the short course to Cinnamon Bay,” Kessler said.
The short course runs about one mile from Maho Bay to Cinnamon Bay. The intermediate course is from Maho Bay to Trunk Bay, a distance of about 2.25 miles. The long course runs 3.5 miles from Maho Bay to Hawksnest Bay.
Swimmers may compete in the long course as an individual or as part of a three-person team.
In an assisted swimmer category, participants can also compete assisted by snorkel and/or fins.
Registration is $25 for youths ages 17 and under, and $50 for adults. There is no registration the day of the race.
Register online using PayPal at the Friends website or in person at the Friends of the Park Store in Mongoose Junction; at Connections in Cruz Bay and Coral Bay; at Caribbean Surf Co. in Havensight and Red Hook, St. Thomas; and at SCUBA in Christiansted, St. Croix.
The pre-race meeting begins at 3:30 p.m. Saturday at the T’ree Lizards Restaurant at Cinnamon Bay Campground with paperwork and distribution of event T-shirts and goodie bags. A detailed briefing on the course begins at 4:30 p.m. and will last about 45 minutes.
Check in for the race is at 7:30 a.m. Sunday.
The public is invited to attend the post-race awards ceremony and party that begins at noon at Hawksnest Beach’s Oppenheimer Pavilion. Food and drink will be for sale.
Kessler said spectators will enjoy watching the swimmers at the beaches and from overlooks along the North Shore Road.
To register online, visit www.friendsvinp.org. Call the Friends at 779-4940.
