The Fort Myers Estero Open Water Festival will host the first annual Crippen Mile Open Water Swim at Fort Myers Beach, Florida on June 11th. The inaugural race was created to remember and celebrate the life of Fran Crippen who tragically passed away in Dubai last year.

The race will benefit the newly created Fran Crippen Elevation Foundation, established by the Crippen family to empower athletes who exemplify the principles Fran embodied as they journey to elevate themselves, by providing aid and advocating for safe competitive environments.

PMG Sports explained, “The one-mile race will embody Fran’s love for the sport of open water swimming and his eagerness to compete at his highest potential. The Crippen Mile will set the highest standard for water safety in open water swimming, as this is a pillar of the Fran Crippen Elevation Foundation. The race director and support staff in Fort Myers will set the new standard [in open water world].”

For more information, contact Taylor Baughman.

Fran is shown winning the 2009 USA Swimming National Open Water Swimming Championships on the same course:

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