Friday, March 1, 2013

Ka'iwi Channel Swim Race


First Team Swimming Race across the Ka’iwi Channel set for August

Ka’iwi Channel Swim race directors, Steve Haumschild and Jeff Kozlovich, are announcing the first ever team race across the 28 miles of Ka’iwi Channel from the west shore of Molokai to Sandy Beach on the east shore of Oahu.  The race will be held on August 24, 2013 and is limited to 40 teams of 2 or 6 swimmers.   Kozlovich thinks that the race will “…put some meaning back into the word epic.”

While there have been 29 swimmers recorded as having crossed the Ka’iwi Channel on their own, this is the first organized team race across the channel.  Both Haumschild and Kozlovich have served as personal escorts to various world class open water swimmers (Bill Goding, Penny Palfrey, Darren Miller, Oliver Wilkinson, and others) and their experiences led them to imagine an event that would bring the giants of the field to compete with, and against, each other, with a healthy representation of the open water swimming community joining in on the fun.

This race isn’t just for the giants.  Haumschild and Kozlovich are hoping  there are some “giant-slayers” that will jump into the fun by forming their own teams or joining ranks with the giants.  Local swimmers, with plenty of credentials of their own and Ka’iwi Channel experience, are encouraged to get in the water as team members or team support.

This is shaping up to be one incredible race that will strengthen the open water swimmer presence in Hawaii and create amazing memories and friendships.  Haumschild sees the race participants as “… some of the most competitive, experienced and trained athletes in the world.”

Registration for this race opens on March 15, 2013 and more information can be found on the Ka’iwi Swim Race website:  kaiwichannelswimrace.blogspot.com or by contacting Jeff Kozlovich at kozhawaii@gmail.com.

No comments: