From 5-year-old Leilani Ha of Rocket Fish who completed the 500-yard swim in 18:30 to the 75-year-olds and over athletes like Tom Trapp (47:04, 1 mile), Hung Tong (48:33, 1 mile), Kathleen Nielsen (49:06, 1 mile), McDowell Cramer (1:59:59, 3 mile), Brad Rawlins (1:27:08, 3 mile), and Rick Miller (1:29:02, 3 mile), the young and older competed today in the Naples Island Swim in Long Beach in Southern California.
The beach was full with excitement – and every slot in the 1-mile sprint and 3-mile event was filled. Event director Greg Shea had a sold-out field in the 1-mile and 3-mile races for the first time since the event started 122 years ago.
2023 winner Matthew McDermott held off multi-time winner Alex Kostich to win the 2025 title in the 3-mile round-the-island race. The race started off fast and never let up. 27-year-old former USC swimmer McDermott and 55-year-old legend Kostich picked up their game this year in the 74°F water under sunny skies.
Both men pushed the field to significantly faster times than recent past race. McDermott swam a 51:53 in 2025 versus 53:52 in 2024 while Kostich improved his time to a 52:18 from a 54:41 last year. Comparatively, defending champion 18-year-old Esiquiel ‘Zeke’ Garzon finished fifth this year in 53:21, slightly faster than his winning time of 53:30 in 2024.
Young Natalie Umpornpuckdi representing La Mirada Armada won the women’s title in 54:14. Christina Calarco of the Mission Viejo Nadadores finished second in 56:40.
Top 20 Overall Results
- Matthew McDermott, 51:53
- Alex Kostich, 52:18
- Paul Reynolds, 52:47
- Robert Margalis, 52:52
- Esiquiel Garzon, 53:21
- Keeno Usita, 53:34
- Keyon Usita, 54:10
- Tyler Fidler, 54:11
- Natalie Umpornpuckdi, 54:14 [top woman]
- Aiden Sandvig, 54:36
- Cory Mayfield, 54:43
- Ty Maldonado, 54:51
- John Green, 55:01
- Ethan Brown, 55:04
- Jonah Bui, 55:06
- Ben Brewer, 55:15
- Luke Hutchinson, 55:46
- Skyler Munatones, 55:47
- Tamas Kis 56:07
- Luca Soukasian, 56:15
Shea explained, “This event has been going on in many different configurations and held by many organizations over the last century and a bit. The Long Beach Century Club, The Long Beach Grunions, Beach Swim Team, and the Queen Mum of our Event, Lucy Johnson, have all carried the baton to keep this Long Beach Tradition alive.”
Why is this local race important? It not only keeps a local tradition alive, but it is also an excellent training ground for volunteers four years in the future – and…nearby… is the site of the marathon swim at the LA28 Olympic Games.
2028 Los Angeles Olympic 10K Marathon Swim
Many of the volunteers from the Naples Island Swim will play key roles in planning, executing, and volunteering for the Olympic 10K Marathon Swim to be held in Long Beach at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
Just a short jog away from Naples Island is the Belmont PIer where the Olympic marathon swim and Coastal Rowing will be held.
The water is expected to be similarly warm (21-23°C), glassy flat and, most likely, the most tranquil – and fastest – Olympic marathon swim in history, favoring the fastest 1500m swimmers with good closing 200m speed. There should be no wind or very little wind – and no perceivable tidal flows and non-existent wave action.
Sport Climbing, Target Shooting, Water Polo, Artistic Swimming, Team Handball, Sailing, Canoe Sprint, and Rowing will all be held at within minutes by car.
For more information from LA28, visit here.
Back in 2012, Damien Jordan made this video introducing the Olympic marathon swim with an introduction to the City of Long Beach:
Photos courtesy of Delaney Whittet.
For full results of the 500-yard, 1-mile, and 3-mile races, visit here.
© 2025 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.
Great event.
One small correction, Leilani Ha is only 5 years old!