Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California.

With a sold-out field, expectations were high for the 2016 Swim Around Lido Key in Florida.

Lots of swimmers, kayakers and volunteers arrived at Lido Beach in Sarasota, but the winds were howling and the red flag went up.

The safety personnel were not allowed in the water under these conditions and co-race directors David Miner and Steve Butler of Swim Without Limits had to call the race.

Swimmers like Ryan Ballance [shown above on right] who had been training specifically for the 7-mile circumnavigation were disappointed. But some swimmers like Melissa Varlas, Larissa Carmichael and Cathy Fedako made the best of the situation and went for a 2-mile roughwater swim in the waves.

Copyright © 2016 by World Open Water Swimming Association