6 swimmers complete Farallon round trip relay

At the end of July, six swimmers who started their open water swimming careers with Coach Pedro and Water World Swim completed a Double Crossing of the Farallon Channel (Gulf of the Farallons), as defined by FISF course and rules.

Starting east of the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, CA, swimming to Southeast Farallon Island, touching the Northeast Buoy in Fisherman’s Bay, and returning to the east of the Golden Gate Bridge, the six swimmers finished the total 59.4 mile distance in 34 hours, 54 minutes, and 15 seconds.

Observers Kim Rutherford and Scott Tapley confirmed that Captains Brent McLain and Marino Cacciotti escorted Amy Appelhans Gubser, Kirk McKinney, Les Mangold, John Sims, Jeff Everett, andAndrew McLaughlin completed the first two-way crossing of the Farallon Islands.

"The San Francisco-based Team Nadadores Locos, a 6-person relay, swam from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Farallon Islands and then back to the Golden Gate Bridge, 59.4 miles in 34 hours 54 minutes," reported John Sims.

The 27-page observer report is full of rich details, including hourly updates of conditions of both the water and swimmers - at one point swimming through a field of jellyfish. Swimmers were stung repeatedly and some jellies "were the size of garbage can lids," reports one of the observers.

We are proud to be a part of these swimmers' path to greatness! Congrats to all.

Read more about this at The Daily News of Open Water Swimming.