After a week of constant, unseasonably hard rains with thundershowers, the skies let up and the waves settled down for a gorgeous running of the 10th annual Butterfield 800m Sea Swim on Seven Mile Beach in the Cayman Islands.

“After all the weather we’ve been having, the conditions [for the race] were great,” said Bill McFarland of the sponsoring Butterfield Bank in an understatement. “The sea calmed down and we had a lot of people come out on a wonderful day.“

Coral Tomascik (14) of Camana Bay Aquatic Club won the women’s division placing sixth overall.

A swimmer nearly all her life, Tomascik recalled in a soft voice, “I tried to keep up with boys. I have been doing these sea swims since I was 4. I have done way more than 50 of the races so I know the course. Every race is basically the same.”

Alex McCallum (17) of the Stingray Swim Club just barely edged out his island rival, 16-year-old Jeffrey Butler, 9:45 to 9:46 in a photo finish. “I have taken second to him for the last 5 times. Every time. But this time, I had the legs to go [and win]. I am better than with navigation and took a better route.”

The swim was ideal for young open water swimmers, including 6-year-old Marisa Poole and 5-year-old Gabriella Royston who both swam with their mothers.

Copyright © 2012 by Open Water Source