31-year-old Connor Signorin and 43-year-old Brooke Bennett won the 8-mile Swim for Alligator Lighthouse, a charity swim that raises funds to restore an aging lighthouse off the Florida Keys.
Signorin, who previously competed for the University of Florida, completed a three-peat by winning in 2 hours 59 minutes over 400 athletes off Islamorada.
Signorin said, “My goal for the Swim for Alligator Lighthouse was not as much about winning as it was about enjoying the event. [Victory] is not even a goal. It’s just here to finish every time, have fun, enjoy the moment. Whatever happens at the finish happens, we’re here. You’re here amongst the sea life and this is your natural form of swimming — this isn’t pool swimming, this is as natural as it gets … beautiful.”
Top female and second overall finisher was 3-time Olympic gold medalist Bennett who finished in 3 hours 9 minutes. She was won races from California at the RCP Tiburon Mile to her native Florida including the 5 km Tampa Bay Frogman Swim.
Signorin said, “My goal for the Swim for Alligator Lighthouse was not as much about winning as it was about enjoying the event. [Victory] is not even a goal. It’s just here to finish every time, have fun, enjoy the moment. Whatever happens at the finish happens, we’re here. You’re here amongst the sea life and this is your natural form of swimming — this isn’t pool swimming, this is as natural as it gets … beautiful.”
Matthew Dushuttle and Adam Regar, both of St. Johns, Florida, posted the fastest two-person relay time at 3 hours 36 minutes54.
Claire Donnelly of Delray Beach, Sheaffer Watt from Lake Worth, and Taylor Sohlberg of Boynton Beach won the three-person relay category in 4 hours 10 minutes 11 seconds.
17-year-olds Riley Cooper and Chrislyn Lowell with 16-year-olds Abbie Sargent and Reese Andres won the top four-person relay division.
A team of 20 swimmers represented Kidney Donor Athletes competed in a demonstration that raised awareness about life-saving organ donation, and showed that kidney organ donors can also achieve a difficult ocean challenge.
Founded by Florida Keys artist Lighthouse Larry Herlth, the annual race raises funds and awareness about the need to preserve the 150-year-old Alligator Reef Lighthouse and five other aging lighthouses off the Florida Keys. The event also raises college scholarship funds for Keys students interested in competitive swimming.
Constructed to warn ships away from the Florida Keys reef tract, the lighthouses are no longer maintained, as their function has been replaced by modern Global Positioning System navigation.
The lighthouse was named for the former U.S. Navy Schooner Alligator that grounded on the reef in 1822. The vessel was blown up after as much equipment as possible was removed to prevent it from being used by pirates.
@ 2023 Daily News of Open Water Swimming
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