Courtesy of Night Train Swimmers, Anacapa Island, California.

15-year-old Paige Kieding is always fast asleep at 2 am, but not today.

She completed a 20 km relay with her mentor, 69-year-old Vito Bialla, from Anacapa Island to the California mainland across the Santa Barbara Channel in 7 hours 53 minutes.

The duo covered most of the channel in darkness, swimming into a beautiful sunrise and calm morning after swimming through turbulence.

Bialla described the experience, “The conditions were rough with 2 – 2.5 foot waves coming from all over the place. You couldn’t get into a rhythm, but Paige did a wonderful job and is looking forward to doing a solo crossing next year.”

They swam as part of the Night Train Swimmers to raise funds for the Navy SEAL Foundation in the Santa Barbara Channel Swimming Association-sanctioned crossing. “As a Vietnam veteran, I am proud to support our SEALs and their families. As is Paige Kieding who an extraordinary person and swimmer,” said Bialla.

For more information, visit Night Train Swimmers.

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