When 54-year-old veteran Alex Kostich (@alexkostich) steps up to the starting line in any open water swim, the younger swimmers may not know who he is, but the fast swimmers certainly know his swimming pedigree.

Over the course of his career, Kostich has won many races, from pool events at the Pan American Games to ocean races at the Waikiki Roughwater Swim, Swim Around Charleston, Naples Island Swim, Dwight Crum Pier-To-Pier Swim, Bora Bora Liquid Festival, Swim Around Key West, La Jolla Gatorman, Seal Beach Rough Water Swim, and Tiki Swim.

This last weekend’s St. Croix Coral Reef Swim Race (@coralreefswimrace) was held in the Caribbean Sea. The 1-mile, 2.4-mile, and 5-mile races wre held for the 28th annual time in the Virgin Islands.

The 5-mile race is where Kostich’s solo 8,000 meters-per-day workout regimen has paid off over the decades. He has competed 24 times since 1999, winning 21 times and missing one year due to shoulder surgery (but he still went that year and served as a volunteer).

But his 21st career victory was not an easy one for the Stanford graduate. He was trailing the two leaders in third place for most of the swim, and only managed to catch up at the final turn buoy. He tells the story, “I stopped for hydration after crossing the channel from Buck Island [shown below on right], but Kaeden Gleason and Ricardo Valdivia didn’t. They kept going. I thought those 20 seconds cost me the race. I battled over the next two miles to try and catch them to no avail. But by the last turn buoy, I somehow managed to overtake them and then just put my head down and sprinted to the finish line without looking back, I imagined they were right on my feet so it was a stressful finish.”

Kostich’s female counterpart on top the award podium was recent Bates College graduate Saskia Wong-Smith [shown below].

1-mile Race – Overall Top 10 Results

1. Scott Hensley (41) 28:00
2. Diella Maynard (14) 28:14
3. Lu Joseph (17) 29:28
4. Kyleigh Ryachlik (15) 29:47
5. Eric Finger (32) 30:33
6. Madelyn Donnelly (16) 30:39
7. Kameryn Padgett (15) 30:44
8. Ashley Park (44) 31:06
9. Erika Freeman (27) 31:27
10. Caroline Apathy (26) 31:55

1-mile Assisted Race – Overall Top 10 Results

1. Hilary Hunter (70) 40:42
2. Tommy Davis (40) 43:34
3. Kathryn Harstad (53) 48:07
4. Mercedes Narváez (69) 52:37
5. Jan Powell (57) 53:12
6. Damaris Colon (68) 54:28
7. Blanca Cebollero (63) 55:13
8. Terri Sofarelli (59) 56:09
9. Patricia Ginsberg (56) 59:36
10. Mary O’Rourke (69) 1:01:04

2.4-mile Race – Overall Top 10 Results

1. Daryan Maynard (16) 50:11
2. Marina Falcone (37) 51:50
3. Scott Roth (16) 56:19
4. Jack Johnson (25) 58:33
5. Morgan Garner (17) 58:38
6. Cameron Cullinan (15) 1:00:10
7. Suzanna Ryckman (24) 1:04:12
8. Matthew Greeley (23) 1:05:41
9. Maly Shores (25) 1:05:44
10. William F. Haselden (24) 1:08:20

2.4-mile Assisted Race – Overall Results

1. Susan Smith (60) 1:10:11
2. Jonna Johnson (47) 1:13:04
3. Laura Hughes (57) 1:14:39
4. Colleen Bowles (48) 1:15:53
5. Teresa Bazzle (68) 1:41:46

5-mile Race – Overall Top 10 Results

1. Alex Kostich (54) 1:51:28
2. Kaeden Gleason (17) 1:51:37
3. Ricardo Valdivia (59) 1:52:16
4. Teague Gleason (14) 1:59:06
5. Derek Frenzel (32) 2:06:20
6. Cole Cullinan (14) 2:07:43
7. Sawyer Holley (15) 2:09:46
8. Saskia Wong-Smith (24) 2:12:52
9. Maya Reynoso Williams (24) 2:13:56
10. Adriel Sanes (26) 2:14:05

5-mile Assisted Race – Overall Results

1. Caroline Cenci (27) 2:43:13
2. Aubrey Baker (34) 2:49:37
3. Raven Dumas (45) 2:57:02
4. David Bernstein (51) 3:24:19
5. Melanie Cenci (66) 3:25:16
6. Ned Jacobs (73) 3:48:00

For more information, visit www.swimrace.com.

© 2024 Daily News of Open Water Swimming

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

A World Open Water Swimming Federation project.