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7 SSC swimmers to compete in Palau
Seven Saipan Swim Club members are leaving Saipan next month to participate in two tournaments in Palau.
David Boyer is one of the seven Saipan Swim Club members who will compete in Palau next month. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)
Siblings Jinnosuke and Lennosuke Suzuki and Kento and Taiyo Akimaru will join R.J Pierce, David Boyer, and Salofi Welch in the island-nation to compete in the Palau Open Water and Inter-Rock Island Swim on June 6 and 7. The small group will also attend a training camp with the host team and Hawaii’s Aulea Swim Club from June 8 to 11.
“This is the first time Saipan Swim Club has taken a team to compete in this open water event in Palau and our swimmers are excited about going to Palau,” SSC head coach Jacoby Winkfield said.
“Over the years, SSC has developed a great relationship with the Palau Swim Team and while they have participated in several of SSC’s International Meets we have not had the opportunity to travel to Palau until this year. Palau is renowned for its natural beauty and marine life and now the swimmers will have a chance to represent the CNMI as well as learn about other islands in Micronesia during their trip,” he added.
The Palau Open Water Swim will be held on June 7 at the Palau Pacific Resort, which also hosted the open water swim and triathlon competitions in the 2010 Micronesian Games. The first competition will have five courses—250m, 500m, and 1,500m, 3K, and 5K. The other ocean swim tournament will take place at Palau’s famous Rock Islands.
The two ocean swims, Winkfield added, will kick off SSC’s calendar of events for the 2015-2016 season.
“They are a great transition to the Open Water Swim Series spearheaded by SSC Masters swimmer Emma Perez,” Winkfield said.
The club concluded the 2014-2015 season early this month by participating in the Northern Mariana Islands Swimming Federation Championships at the Kan Pacific Swimming Pool with its swimmers setting several personal best times.
