46 complete Escape from Managaha

Participants in last Saturday’s 13th Escape from Managaha pose for a group photo at Micro Beach. (Contributed Photo)

Forty-six swimmers made the successful cross from Managaha to Micro Beach last Saturday.

Kento Akimaru of Saipan Swim Club, which hosted the 13th Annual Escape from Managaha, led the finishers of the 2.4-kilometer course after clocking in at 33.25 seconds—nearly five minutes faster than his 2016 winning time (38:06).

Majority of the swimmers had cruise control as water condition was relatively fine and participants’ feasted their eyes on the beauty of the clear waters along the course, spotting eagle rays, a shark, and a juvenile turtle.

Joining Akimaru in the Top 3 in the men’s division were Lennosuke Suzuki and Christian Villacrusis, who made it to the Micro Beach shore at the 34:07 and 34:10 marks, respectively. Lennosuke’s younger brother Jinnosuke and Salofi Welch finished fourth and fifth overall with the former submitting 34:11 against the latter’s 34:40.

Angel Marie Tan was sixth overall, but the first female out of the water after logging 34:55. Last year’s top female finisher Victoria Chentsova, who is on a short vacation on Saipan, came in behind Tan after recording 35:18, which was better than her 2015 winning time (38:31). David Boyer (36:06), Jinju Thompson (38:26), and Taiyo Akimaru (44:55) rounded out the Top 10.

The crossing from Saipan’s famous island to Micro Beach started at 6am with registration beginning at 5am at Charley Dock. SSC coach Jacoby Winkfield then briefed participants, which included five first-time “escapees” and seven lifeguards from World Resort.

“Thank you to Eddie Johnson and the lifeguards from World Resort, stand up paddlers, kayakers, and DPS who helped to make this event a safe open water swim. Thank you too to SSC parents who worked tirelessly during the event, greeting swimmers on shore with snacks and drinks and ending the event with raffles to send the swimmers home with gifts,” SSC official Carol Lynn Pierce said in a message sent to Saipan Tribune yesterday.

Pierce was also among the finishers in last Saturday’s crossing, completing the course under one hour with her 53.10. Erin Kelle, the oldest participant in the event at 62, broke the one-hour barrier, too with his 56:11, while the youngest swimmer in the field—the 8-year-old Dino Sato—also made it to the shore in less than an hour after clocking in at 52:34