This weekend the International Oceanman Openwater Championship Competition came to Tarbarca Island, off the coast from Santa Pola for three open water races in this year’s circuit. Swimmers competed across three different distances 10km, 5km and 2 kms. Oceanman is the only International Championship in Open Water Swimming designed by swimmers, for swimmers.
Oceanman 2016 is held at five venues across two continents, offering both professional and amateur swimmers the chance to achieve their personal goals in unique locations, for their beauty and surroundings, like the Costa Brava, Tabarca Island, Lake Orta, the Caribbean Sea and on Mediterranean in the World Championship Final to be held in Benidorm on 16th October 2016.
Sunday 11th September saw an early start for all swimmers ferried in three journeys to Tarbarca from 6:30am onwards. Races then commenced in a series of staggered starts, the 10km swimmers going first at 8am followed by the 5km race at 9am and the 2km race at 11am. To ensure swimmers safety in the water Jet Ski, boats & canoes escorted the swimmers around the courses. Four and a half hours later race winners were presented with a series of awards and prizes.
Local male swimmers, Rodrigo Solis Ibanez and Javier Ronda Bou from Club Natacion Tenis Elche were placed 2nd and 3rd in the Oceanman 5km race gaining Elite status and entry into the World Championships in Benidorm.
In the Female Oceanwoman 5km race Zoe Connolly, Club Natacion Elche, won 1st place as the first female to finish and 1st place in the Junior 16-19yrs category. Second placed was mum Vicki Connolly, Club Natacion Elche, finishing as the 2nd female to complete the race and in 1st place in the 50+ category.
The third Elche swimmer, Beryl Altabas had an outstanding swim winning the female 60+ category and being the oldest female swimmer to finish in this year’s series of races. All three girls have gained places in the World Championships in Benidorm.
