Thompson sprints to victory

MANAGAHA ISLAND—What originally was intended as a test of endurance turned out to be a sprint, as the organizers once again cancelled the Escape from Managaha Saturday due to bad weather opting instead to do an abbreviated course off the waters of the uninhabited island.

Lawyer Colin Thompson won the shortened race emerging from the surf in a time of 41:41. The former University of California Berkeley water polo star battled high surf and the strong current in topping the event, which distance may not even have been 2.5 miles.

Thompson said he was disappointed over the channel crossing cancellation but would not second-guess the decision of the organizers.

“At the start, I was very upset that we we’re not able to make the crossing. But when we actually started swimming, I found out that the current was really strong, especially in the first turn going back to the island. You lose your momentum and it becomes hard to swim.”

Coming in second to Thompson is 31-year-old Takayuki Tarashita of Japan. He finished the open water swim in a time of 42:11. Saipan Swim Club teammates Juan Camacho (42:46) and Chang Kyun Kim (44:05) finished third and fourth, respectively. Camacho’s younger brother, Michael, meanwhile rounded up the top 5 among the men touching base in a time of 44:10.

Twenty-three-year-old sales woman Sachi Saitama, Japan took first place among the women as she conquered the tough and tumble course in 45:47.

Speaking in almost perfect English, Nakamura said that she enjoyed the open water swim although, like Thompson, she was also a bit letdown upon hearing that organizers canceled the crossing.

The Saipan first-timer said she would like to come back next year and fulfill what she came here to do – cross the channel from the tourist hotspot to Hafa Ada Beach Hotel.

Mieko Motoyoshi of Pacific Islands Club continued her run of strong performances in Saipan’s sports scene by finishing runner-up to Nakamura. The petite 26-year-old clocked in at 47:05, while taking third place in a time of 47:50 was Miyuki Hirota of Japan.

In the age group, Kim took the top plum in the 10-19-year-old division. Japan’s Kenji Tanaka and Rina Kidokoro, meanwhile, came in first among men and women participants, respectively, in the 20-29 category.

Compatriots Junichi Sato (men) and Rieko Ogura (women) also were the first in their 30-39 age group, while triumphing in the 40-49 class were Takeaki Honami of Japan and Carol Lynn Calobong-Pierce of Saipan.

Japan’s Syouji Yamashita was the winner in the men’s 50-59 and Mihoko Hiki took the title in the women’s age group. Fumiko Odagiri was first in the 60-and-over category.

Only five of the 49 swimmers who started the race didn’t finish the shortened course.

There were also nine who signed up who didn’t swim at all with three of them opting to make their own unofficial and unassisted crossing from Managaha Island to Hyatt Regency Saipan.

About a couple of hours after last place Miyoko Koda reached the shores, all 49 who set out to do the crossing finally escaped from Managaha—on a ferryboat.