66 intrepid swimmers pull double duty at SSC

Nearly 150 swimmers of all ages and ability took the plunge during last Sunday’s 28th Annual Saipan International Ocean Swim, and while several tested the waters of the Saipan Lagoon by taking the Saipan Swim Club’s 600m, 1km, and 1.3km courses, an additional 66 went the distance in the two-lap 2.5km.

When SSC head coach Michael Stewart sounded the horn, the long distance lovers headed through the large orange buoys and proceeded out into the open water and around both of the World War II-era Sherman tanks and back for the first half of the circuit before making a second go-round that brought them to the beach behind the Saipan World Resort.

Of the nearly 70 swimmers who made the trip, none was faster than 16-year-old speedster Seika Setoguchi of the International Buccaneers, who completed the circuit in 34:00, just eight seconds ahead of fellow Buc Ryutaro Kamiya (34:08), and 10 seconds better that Mamoru Kanazawa (34:18), also of the International Buccaneers.

Aside from taking first place overall, Setoguchi bested SSC favorites Minerva Cabrera (39:11) and Nicole Calvo (40:18) in the 15-19 Division, while Kanazawa took the top spot on the boys side ahead of Lewis Hoshijima (34:22) and Tetsuya Iijima (34:24) of the Tarkito Swim Team.

Kamiya took the tape for the boys of the 13-14 Division ahead of the SSC’s Rezne Wong (35:24) and TKO’s Ken Barcinas (35:45), while teammate Manami Iijima (35:50) bested SSC’s strong working sister swimmers Amanda (39:06) and Sarah (41:19) Johnson for the girls.

The older swimmers performed like champs as well, as 32 participants in their respective masters divisions raced around the relics, leaving a trail of bubble in their wakes. Local product Jessica Jordan took the top time in the combined 20-29-year-old division when she reached the beach in 42:05, followed by Jack Kabariel (42:07), and the Pacific Island Club’s Mieko Motoyoshi (43:14).

The CNMI was well represented in the 30-39 Division as well as the Saipan Masters Nadadores boasted first place finishes from Richard Sikkel (41:18) and Hillary Stevens (47:24) in the men’s and women’s pack, respectively. Saipan swimmers completed the sweep of the division as Sue Knecht (52:28), Harumi Sugihasi (55:12), and Kimiko Hasegawa (1:05:11) reached the beach after two laps, while Brad Ruszala (53:29), Yoshi Suzuki (54:06), Ronald Villafria (55:24), and Lewis Tenorio (1:01:58) did the same for the men.

There were more bobbing Nads in the water as Carol Lynn Pierce (42:54), Akiko Kodama (47:17), and returning star Dawn Hammermeister (48:10) dominated the women’s 40-49 Division, while Tadahiro Furukawa (37:51) bested local athletes Dirk Sharer (42:24), Gary de Guzman (42:27), Toshihiro Maeda (47:06), Michael Johnson (55:33), and Michael Busby (57:13).

The most seasoned of swimmers also put on a show as local tankers Suzy Kindel (48:10) and Gayle Berger (54:53) led the pack in the 50-59 Division ahead of their male counterparts—NMITF star Joshua Berger (55:04) and the TKO’s Greg Schulte (55:32).