Redondo Beach Bullock repeats Redondo Swim the Avenues victory

Young swimmers mug for the camera at the start of the one-mile swim. Photo by Kim West

Ryan Bullock, 35, of Hermosa Beach, continued his dominance of local open ocean swims on Sunday by winning the Second Annual Redondo Beach Swim the Avenues. Bullock finished the one-mile race from Torrance Beach to Avenue F in a time of 22:52, one minute slower than his winning time in last July’s, inaugural Swim the Avenues. Bullock has won the International Surf Festival Dwight Crum Pier to Pier Swim in Hermosa Beach the past three consecutive years. 

A swim made for selfies. Photo by Kim West

Nicholas Jones, 14, finished second on Sunday, in 23:26 and Paul-Marc Schweitzer, 27, of New York, was third in 23:58.

In the female division, Lauren Donnelley, 14, of Manhattan Beach was first in 26:18. Amber Theders, 24, was second in 25:55 and Rossella Pescatori, 48, of Redondo Beach was third in 26:25

In the wetsuit one-mile division, Sara Jenkins, 36, of Santa Fe Springs, was first in 25:40; Mike Davidson, 55, of Van Nuys, was second in 25:56; and Darrin Freeman, 59, of Manhattan Beach, was third in 27:31.

Races ended with a sprint up the beach. Photo by Kim West

Younger swimmers topped the podium in the one-half-mile swim. Trey Mastandrea, 13, was first in 14:34; Nicholas Buhl, 12, was second in 14:38 and Lucas Hubbard, 12, was third in 15:10. 

Over 500 swimmers, nearly double the number in the last year’s, inaugural Swim the Avenues, participated in Sunday’s one-mile and one-half mile swims. Smooth, 70-degree water, small waves, and still air created ideal conditions.

The one-mile swim was a qualifier for the upcoming, two-mile International Surf Festival Dwight Crum Pier to Pier swim, on Sunday, August 4. 

Swim the Avenues also served as a test run for the World Open Water Swimming Association (WOWSA) Ocean Fest, to be held in Redondo the weekend of October 5.

Race co-director Bryan Mineo signals the start of the one-mile swim. Photo by Sara Plenge 

The WOSA Ocean Fest will be staged in Seaside Lagoon and include 10K, 5K, 1K, 200 meters, and 100 meter swims. Ocean Fest is expected to attract approximately 1,500 swimmers. The variety of races, as well as swim lessons, live music, and a beer garden,  are intended to attract both elite and novice open water swimmers, said Ocean Fest director Quinn Fitzgerald, who attended Sunday’s competition.

For more about the WOWSA Ocean Fest visit WOSAOceanFest.com.

Comments:

comments so far. Comments posted to EasyReaderNews.com may be reprinted in the Easy Reader print edition, which is published each Thursday.