Bill “Ciastko” Welzien has completed his 137th warm-water 20.1 km circumnavigation swim around Key West in southern Florida on April 23rd. At 74 years old, he shows few signs of slowing down – in either helping out with the annual Swim Around Key West or continuing his own solo efforts swimming around the island.

He started his solo swims around Key West in 1991 and started serving as the race organizer of the Swim Around Key West in 2003. He completed his 100th swim (Century Swim) in May 2018, averaging 6 hours 15 minutes over the course.

His 137th career circumnavigation swim was 6 hours 26 minutes – very close to his lifetime average – in the 80°F (26.6°C) warm water of the Caribbean Sea. Escorted by his son David Welzien and David Ezmerly, he swam through a steady 20 mph wind out of the northeast that were tough on his kayakers for 4-5 miles through the Key West Harbor until they rounded Dredgers Key. He recalls, “My son’s paddle broke at about mile 3. The one blade snapped off. Dave Ezmerly took the broken paddle and used it like a canoe paddle. He gave his good paddle to my son Dave. 

I felt pretty good, but I wasn’t sure what to expect. My last swim around Key West was last October.  I just bought a new Garmin Epix Gen 2. I was happy with my pace early on. When I swam under the first bridge my time was about 2 hours 20 minutes – that was extremely encouraging.  This was my first swim around since turning 74. (4/17/50)

Welzien was nominated for the 2018 World Open Water Swimming Performance of the Year, the year he completed his 122nd swim around Key West with son and escort kayaker David Welzien in 6 hours 59 minutes.

For more information, visit swimaroundkeywest.com.

© 2024 Daily News of Open Water Swimming

“to educate, enthuse, and entertain all those who venture beyond the shoreline”