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Swimmers need paddlers for Eagle Ray 7km
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Posted on Dec 07 2006
There are plenty of sporting events happening on Saipan this weekend but only one will ask local athletes to swim from one island to another as the Saipan Swim Club and the Northern Mariana Islands Triathlon Federation are teaming up for the Eagle Ray 7km Swim.
Last year a group of intrepid swimmers was guarded by an armada of kayaks when they left the shores of Pau Pau Beach en route to Managaha Island, and this Saturday, Dec. 9, the journey starts again.
According to SSC head coach Michael Stewart, the beach-to- sandy-beach trip will begin at noon to give the swimmers the best conditions possible for the crossing but everyone making the trip should be at the Pau Pau Beach parking lot no later than 11:30am.
The manual trip to Managaha will take the swimmers more than four miles along the inside of the reef line and all participants are welcome to use whatever they deem necessary to help them complete the feat.
Regardless of the conditions, all entrants are encouraged to use sun block or sunscreen for the trip and according to Stewart, fins, snorkels, and wetsuits are allowed as well.
While the field of swimmers continues to grow daily, Stewart said that the number of kayakers is still far below the amount needed to safely host the event. As of Wednesday, there were only three people who volunteered their services for the trip, and more will have to come forward before the first swimmer leaves the beach.
“If we don’t have 10 we can’t go,” said the coach.
To volunteer for the Eagle Ray 7km Swim, contact Stewart by calling 287-WISH (9474) or via email at wfla@hotmail.com.
