(Photo above by Adam Sandler. Used here with permission. Per Adam: "Lifeguards wait for the start of the Men's race of the Dwight Crum Pier to Pier Swim. The sailboat also waits for the start. It cruised alongside the swimmers to the MB Pier finish. Conditions were nice for both swimmers and various water craft alike.")
Heads up! We've got a first person/swimmer account of this prestigious annual two mile open water swim from Hermosa Beach Pier to Manhattan Beach Pier for you, along with some great photos!
So here ya go!
Text/Story by LACo O.L. Mike Gavola.
Text & Photos by O.L. Adam Sandler.
Per Adam Sandler: "A couple of pics (below) from the ISF Dwight Crum Pier-to-Pier Swim held Sunday at Hermosa: The clusterf..ks better-known as the Men's race start and the Women's race start. The Baywatch crew keeps an eye on the lead pack of the men as they pass the flags and right-shoulder the end of the HB Pier."
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"The 2010 Pier to Pier Swim", by Mike Gavola.
The morning of pier to pier was one of this summer’s better mornings. It was sunny with little to no wind. The waves at Hermosa were a lot smaller than I hoped for. I was hoping for some swell because I knew I would get an advantage going out through the surf.
It was my first pier to pier race and by far the largest number of competitors I competed against as more than a 1000 swimmers showed up. When the starting gun went off I did my thing using my lifeguarding skills to get in front of all the none ocean swimmers. As they where swimming I was still dolphining to put myself in a good position and sprinted toward the first buoy. I was top 20 to the buoy but knew I was done after that for I cannot swim distance. So I just started to draft off of people as the zoomed by me.
The Manhattan pier then soon showed up and I took off in a sprint for the finish. Luckily there was some swell in Manhattan and I caught a wave in, passing all the triathlon swimmers getting tossed by the waves. Once I finished I grabbed my t-shirt and bottle of water and started running back to Hermosa. The water was freezing that day as it made people drop like flies from the race on my run back, with lifeguards putting people in the thermal bags. I got to Hermosa to take a hot shower as I was freezing also, then grabbed my bike and went to work.
10-4, Mike
(Photo above shows Mike Gavola off duty on a recent fishing trip. Nice catch, Mike! Photo courtesy of Mike.)
"The 2010 Pier to Pier Swim", by Mike Gavola. Copyright 2010 Mike Gavola. All Rights Reserved. Used here with permission. Do not reproduce without permission.
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Many Thanks to both Adam and Mike for sharing their photos and comments with all of us.
Until next time.....
"County Recurrent" News
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