On Saturday 18 March, 58 men, women and children dived off the wall outside the financial complex on the Careenage to race to Camerogne Park Beach on Grand Anse – after a lull four years the Grenada Cross Harbour Swim was reinstated !!
Registration was brisk with a much larger turn out than expected, entries came from Grenada, Trinidad, Barbados, USA, Mexico, Canada, Norway, UK and Spain, with ages ranging from 8-year-old Emily Carter to Benedict McIntyre the most senior at (a fit ) 68! An enthusiastic group of volunteers made sure that each competitor had a number on their arm and more importantly knew the course! Another group were in kayaks as the on-water support, both to encourage the swimmers and if necessary render assistance – a two-mile swim across the harbour and the busy Grand Anse Beach area meant both they and an assortment of other local boats, together with the Coast Guard were on hand to keep the course safe from water taxis and other water sport users All across the bay, splashing water indicated the position of the swimmers and the cheering spectators along the beach encouraged the competitors to give it their all, right to the end! One or two of the swimmers at the finish even managed a burst of butterfly stroke!
Grenada’s own Tuesday Watts (14) was the clear winner taking 37.49 minutes to complete the course, the first female ever to win. Behind her, Justin Williams (14) and Esau Simpson (15) were battling it out for second and third places. Justin was to win by a mere 3 seconds.
Whether young or old, racing or just plain having a go, all the swimmers should be congratulated. Of the 58 starters all but 6 completed the course. Mention must also be made of Lois and Kiki Leon (both in their 60s) cruising on KikiKat who have a story to tell the grand children, the battle between Nic Goodchild (12) and Cory La Touche (11) and the two young Noel sisters Sophia (13) and Ayesha (11) who started and finished together giving each other that much needed support. Finally, a big well done to all the swimmers from Grenada’s two swimming clubs, GrenFin and the Dolphins, students from the University of St George’s, our overseas entries and everyone who made this event such a rousing success.
Thanks to Michele Watts-Minors the Vice President of the Grenada Amateur Swimming Association at whose suggestion this race was re-established, Coca Cola and Bryden and Minors for their valued sponsorship, David Farmer one of Grenada’s National Swimming Coaches for so ably running the racing and last but not least to Ruben Mains for his excellent and informative beach commentary that ensured each and every swimmer got the recognition and praise they deserved.
