The 27th St. Croix Coral Reef Swim Race Results Are Released

An international field of 193 swimmers participated in the five-, two- and one-mile open water swims on Sunday, Nov. 12. The sold-out five-mile race originated at Buck Island National Monument, while the two-mile began at Pull Point and the one-mile at Shoy’s Beach. All three events ran concurrently and ended at the palm-shaded shore at The Buccaneer’s Mermaid Beach.

Swimmers ranged in age from 12 to 78. Hundreds of onlookers cheered on their friends and family as they enjoyed the steel pan band on the beach and a delicious beach grill lunch.

The Coral Reef Swim was founded by Elizabeth Armstrong, owner of The Buccaneer, and her friend Kim Rice Sanfor, in 1996. It has become one of the top open-water events in The Caribbean.

Eric Huuki, 22, from Pipersville, Penn., led the field of 41 in the five-mile course, with a winning time of 1:47:33. Ricardo Valdivia, 58, from South Miami, finished on his heels in 1:47:40. St Croix’s Kaeden Gleason, 16, finished third by a whisper in 1:47:43. 25-time. Coral Reef participant and 21-time winner Alex Kostich finished fourth in 1:47:48.

Female five-mile winners were Jill Lancaster, 23, from Barrington, R.I. (2:15:37), followed by Allison Keller, 47, from Charlotte N.C. (2:17:20) and Lisa Hibberd, 60, (2:17:47), from Tortola, British Virgin Islands. There were 25 female five-mile swimmers.