It was a perfect morning for the 21st annual Beach-to-Beach Power Swim on St. John. Approximately 135 pink-shirted volunteers descended upon the north shore beaches in anticipation of the 330 swimmers, ranging in age from 6 to 81, testing their endurance.
Friends of the Virgin Islands National Park volunteers were hard at work on race day, applying temporary tattoos identifying race numbers to participants’ arms and legs. (Source photo by Nancy Borowick)Beach-to-Beach volunteer Jens Schutt grabs a little water from Maho Bay to help affix the power swim participants’ temporary tattoo race number. (Source photo by Nancy Borowick)Azalea Nesbitt, 6, was the youngest swimmer in the 21st Annual Beach-to-Beach Swim on St. John. (Source photo by Nancy Borowick)Magnolia Nesbitt, 8, is participating in the Beach-to-Beach Power Swim for the sixth time and is joined by her sister, Azalea, who is swimming in the race for her third time. (Source photo by Nancy Borowick)Lyle Stewart, 10, is a member of the Finfolk team from St. Croix. He will be swimming to Cinnamon Beach during this year’s Beach-to-Beach Power Swim on St. John. (Source photo by Nancy Borowick)Excited to “swim to the party this year,” repeat power swim participants Richard Amstutz, Renee Godard, Caleb Amstutz, and his fiancé Kacie Shifflett pose for a photo in the warm waters at Maho Bay. (Source photo by Nancy Borowick)Members of Team River Runner show off their race numbers before heading out on their respective swims on race day. Deborah Reyes, on the far right wearing #230, won first place in the assisted short course for females. (Source photo by Nancy Borowick)Ryan and Sarah Matthews are all smiles at the 21st annual Beach-to-Beach Power Swim on St. John. (Source photo by Nancy Borowick)
Wearing different colored caps, swimmers swam the short, intermediate, and long courses, making the journey from Maho to Cinnamon, Trunk, or Hawksnest Beach.
The Beach-to-Beach Power Swim is a popular event for many locals and non-locals on St. John. Before the start of the event, swimmers stretch and get their bodies ready for the swims ahead. (Source photo by Nancy Borowick)With calm waters and a blue sky above, swimmers prepare for their races at the Beach-to-Beach Power Swim, starting at Maho Beach, St. John. (Source photo by Nancy Borowick)Swimmers heading to Trunk Bay Beach take off in full force from Maho Beach during Beach-to-Beach. (Source photo by Nancy Borowick)Swimmers in green caps make their way from Maho Beach to the farthest course finish at Hawksnest Beach. (Source photo by Nancy Borowick)
The long course winner, Kaeden Gleason, swam from Maho Beach to Hawksnest in 1:09:26, breaking the all-time power swim unassisted long course record of 1:10:40 set by Bryson Mays in 2011. Kaeden’s brother Teague, 14, came in behind his brother to take second place followed by Lindsay Barr, clocking in at 1:23:14.
Kaeden Gleason, 16, of St. Croix, came in first place at Hawksnest Beach in the unassisted long course, with a record-breaking time of 1:09:26. (Source photo by Nancy Borowick)Teague Gleason, 14, brother of Kaeden Gleason, came in second place in the unassisted long course with a time of 1:19:20. (Source photo by Nancy Borowick)Lindsay Barr, 19, of St. Thomas, crossed the finish line at 1:23:04 in the unassisted long course, beating her time from last year and again becoming the first woman to finish the unassisted long course at Hawksnest. (Source photo by Nancy Borowick)Not long after the top three crossed the finish line at Hawksnest, a steady stream of green caps appeared in the water before emerging and finishing their power swims. (Source photo by Nancy Borowick)Emerging at Cinnamon Beach, relay swimmer Cathryn Hempel was the first of the relay swimmers to get to the first beach. The Hempel Family went on to win the unassisted relay category, final time coming in at 1:35:34.(Source photo by Nancy Borowick)Doug Brockbank, 70, traveled the farthest to participate in the Beach-to-Beach Swim, coming to St. John from Washougal, Washington. He will head home with memories as well as a prize as he took second place in the assisted short course for men during the event. (Source photo by Nancy Borowick)Maxim McMahon, one of the coaches of the Learn to Swim program, won third place in the assisted short course for men during Beach-to-Beach on St. John. (Source photo by Nancy Borowick)Cheers erupted at the Beach-to-Beach awards ceremony for the intermediate course, and unassisted men’s winners received their awards. First place in the category went to Kalonji Von Schilling Royer, 15, with second place going to Zion John-Baptiste, 14, and third to Bryan Mason, 49. (Source photo by Nancy Borowick)Volunteers record and share the Beach-to-Beach Power Swim final race results on the boards before the awards ceremony. (Source photo by Nancy Borowick)Swimmers watch a large screen, waiting for their numbers and race times to appear following the 21st annual Beach-to-Beach Power Swim. (Source photo by Nancy Borowick)After the event, swimmers, friends and family converged upon Trunk Bay for lunch, awards and cold sweet treats from local St. John shop Irie PopS. (Source photo by Nancy Borowick)Local restaurants from around St. John sponsored Beach-to-Beach, providing food for the participants and everyone else who came out to support and help make the day special. (Source photo by Nancy Borowick)Long time participant of the power swim Jeff Miller shares some words about the late Joe and Cristina Kessler, who were a part of the Beach-to-Beach family since the beginning. (Source photo by Nancy Borowick)In honor of the late Joe Kessler and his wife Cristina, the Beach-to-Beach Power Swim will now be known as “Joe’s,” remembering his vision and enthusiasm and love for the event and St. John. (Source photo by Nancy Borowick)
