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49 Escape from Managaha
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Posted on May 26 2008
The 6th Annual Escape from Managaha Island was held last Saturday with a total of 49 Saipan Swim Club members and masters swimmers taking the plunge.
Lester Lapuz was a pleasant surprise by beating everyone to shore with a marvelous time of 43 minutes flat. He was followed by SSC veteran Sarah Johnson, who won her third straight women’s race by touching the orange buoy in 42:21.
Other top finishers were Kai Staal (43:27) and Colin Thompson (43:43) for the men and Grace Kimbal (45:31) and Mamiko Shimizu (48:58) for the women.
Two groups of swimmers took off from the island’s tourist hotspot with the slower, red-capped participants launching at around 8am followed some 10 minutes later by the faster and more accomplished, green-capped participants.
Cancer survivor Mary Ann Stewart again took part in the race, accomplishing the feat in 1:13:21.
SSC head coach Michael Stewart, for his part, ditched the stunts this year and contented himself by escorting the association’s youngest members. “Coach Mike’s Guppys” didn’t disappoint and even finished ahead of their mentor.
Andrew Kimball (1:17.26), Abigail Martinsen and Victoria Chentsova (1:20.14), Bryce Daly (1:20.49), Maxi Braig (1:21.56), and Kento Akimaru (1:22.06) touched the orange buoy well ahead of coach Michael, who as of this writing, still has no official record of finishing the race.
Whether he did “Escape” or not, Stewart still went out of his way and thanked everyone who made the crossing possible, namely the crew of Jade Lady II, Marianas Visitors Authority staff Frank Tudela, officers from Division of Boating Safety, and staff of the Commonwealth Ports Authority.
