Swimmers prepare for Escape from Managaha

For the third year in a row, local swimmers are logging hours in the pool and in the lagoon to ready for the challenge of the 3rd Annual Escape From Managaha, and organizers hope that they will finally get their wish this Saturday.

Last year a total of 56 swimmers hailing from the CNMI, Guam, Korea, Yap, Japan, and the U.S. mainland lined the shores of Managaha in hopes of completing the crossing, but organizers were prompted to reroute the course to a loop around the island due to safety issues from the choppy waters.

Despite the less-than-ideal conditions, a handful of rogue swimmers defied the safety concerns of the race officials and forded the choppy blue between the island and Saipan proper only to be greeted by unhappy organizers and safety officers.

Though they received stern words, their tale has sparked new interest in the channel challenge, as Frank Tudela of the Marianas Visitors Authority verified that local participants already registered for this year’s event surpassed last year’s numbers.

According Tudela there are roughly 15 local swimmers signed up for the crossing to go along with a large group of swimmers from Japan, and he expects more to sign up during the final registration at the Hafa Adai Beach Hotel on Friday, May 20, at 4pm. Following the registration will be an orientation of the course at 6pm.

The Escape From Managaha is being sponsored by the MVA, OSB8, NMDOA, DPS, PDI, TASI, Saipan Swim Club, and Seawind Marin Sports who are all challenging the swimmers to fight the waves and currents through the three kilometers between the tranquil drop of sand and Saipan.

This swim demands that the prospective escapees possess the ability to finish one mile in 40 minutes or less, and the distance of the Escape is just under two-miles overall. This year’s course is a bit different from the previous two, as the finish will be upon the sand of Micro Beach instead of the Hafa Adai Beach Hotel.

The cost to enter the event is $90 for adults and $75 for the participants less than 18-years-old.

Aside from getting the chance to cross the channel during the only time it closes all year, the entry fee includes a commemorative T- shirt, an awards party, the pre-race ferry fee, and what organizers term as “and a guaranteed great time!”

For more information about the 3rd Annual Escape From Managaha, contact Tudela at MVA Saipan by calling 664-3200/1, by facsimile 664-3237, or via e-mail at ftudela@mymarianas.com.