In September 2010, the Mexican American Unity Swim was held in Lake Powell between the states of Arizona and Utah in the western United States. Three American men and three Mexican women – including Phil Cutti, Matthew Davie, Vito Bialla, Nora Toledano, Patty Kohlman, and Edna Llorens – set the record for the longest non-stop open water swimming relay in a lake. The team swam 108 nautical miles (200 km) in a time of 55 hours 20 minutes.
Bialla described the objectives of the 200 km relay, “We wanted to demonstrate how we could bring the Mexican and American communities together in the midst of increasingly bad relations between the USA and Mexico. We wanted to set a new lake relay record, raise money for Por Ellas and Wounded Warrior Project, the two designated Mexican and American charities of choice, demonstrate the real positive relationship between our two cultures, not the anger that is portrayed in the media, and show what can be accomplished together, Mexico and United States as one team in unity.”
Llorens is carrying on the legacy of that record-setting swim with the 35 km North American Unity Swim that will be held in La Paz in Baja California Sur in Mexico on November 9th 2024.
In collaboration with Phil White of the Northeast Kingdom Open Water Swimming Association, Lorens and Oleadas de Luz (Waves of Light) will host the 35 km coastal swim where three swimmers from Mexico, three from the United States, and three from Canada, plus 1 wild card will race head-to-head.
White explains, “The 3 American slots and 1 wild card slot are already filled as well as one Canadian and one Mexican swimmer have also signed on. This presents an opportunity to swim in beautiful, warm water along the west coast of Mexican for two more Canadians and two more Mexicans.
The cost of the swim is US$2,500 which covers the cost of the escort boat and pilot for each swimmer, an extra support boat with a physician, camping, and dinner the night before the swim, and other miscellaneous expenses. But the largest portion of the proceeds will go directly to Oleadas de Luz (Waves of Light) which provides support and treatment for children and women with cancer in La Paz.
Swimmers, their support crew, and escort boat pilots will camp and enjoy dinner on Isla Partida the night before the swim and will start at daybreak on November 9th. The 10 swimmers will head south along the eastern shore of Isla Espiritu Santo and finish in La Paz near Cueva La Minerva. This stunningly beautiful swim presents a serious challenge to an elite invitational field of international swimmers.
In addition to raising funds for Oleadas de Luz, the swim is intended to promote friendship among the three nations of North America. Any swimmers who are interested in joining this adventure swim in La Paz should contact Phil White via email at phil@kingdomgames.co or Llorens at siredna@gmail.com.
© 2024 Daily News of Open Water Swimming
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