SANTA CRUZ — Hundreds of athletes with a thirst for open water swimming gathered at Main Beach to compete in the two races that make up Santa Cruz Open Water Weekend.
Trevor Gillis, 49, who competes for Quicksilver Masters in San Jose, was a double winner. He took first in both the 2-mile Cruz Cruise on Sunday and the 49th annual Roughwater 1-Mile Swim on Saturday.
He completed the 2-mile race 38 minutes, 53 seconds, and 1-mile swim in 18:29.
A swimmer dives into the ocean at the start of the 2-mile Cruz Cruise open water swim off of Main Beach in Santa Cruz on Sunday. (Raul Ebio - Santa Cruz Sentinel)
A swimmer prepares to compete in the 2-mile Cruz Cruise open water swim off of Main Beach in Santa Cruz on Sunday. (Raul Ebio - Santa Cruz Sentinel)
Swimmers help each other gear up for the 2-mile Cruz Cruise open water swim off of Main Beach in Santa Cruz on Sunday. (Raul Ebio - Santa Cruz Sentinel)
A swimmer competes in the 2-mile Cruz Cruise open water swim off of Main Beach in Santa Cruz on Sunday. (Raul Ebio - Santa Cruz Sentinel)
A swimmer competes in the 2-mile Cruz Cruise open water swim off of Main Beach in Santa Cruz on Sunday. (Raul Ebio - Santa Cruz Sentinel)
Athletes get briefed ahead of the 2-mile Cruz Cruise open water swim off of Main Beach in Santa Cruz on Sunday. (Raul Ebio - Santa Cruz Sentinel)
A swimmer competes in the 2-mile Cruz Cruise open water swim off of Main Beach in Santa Cruz on Sunday. (Raul Ebio - Santa Cruz Sentinel)
Swimmers compete in the 2-mile Cruz Cruise open water swim off of Main Beach in Santa Cruz on Sunday. (Raul Ebio - Santa Cruz Sentinel)
Swimmers go around the turn two buoy during in the 2-mile Cruz Cruise open water swim off of Main Beach in Santa Cruz on Sunday. (Raul Ebio - Santa Cruz Sentinel)
Swimmers head out to the turn three buoy during in the 2-mile Cruz Cruise open water swim off of Main Beach in Santa Cruz on Sunday. (Raul Ebio - Santa Cruz Sentinel)
A swimmer competes in the 2-mile Cruz Cruise open water swim off of Main Beach in Santa Cruz on Sunday. (Raul Ebio - Santa Cruz Sentinel)
A swimmer approaches the turn two buoy in the 2-mile Cruz Cruise open water swim off of Main Beach in Santa Cruz on Sunday. (Raul Ebio - Santa Cruz Sentinel)
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A swimmer dives into the ocean at the start of the 2-mile Cruz Cruise open water swim off of Main Beach in Santa Cruz on Sunday. (Raul Ebio - Santa Cruz Sentinel)
A total of 330 swimmers competed in the Roughwater Swim, including 30 for Santa Cruz Masters Aquatics, and 130 raced in the Cruz Cruise, including including 18 Cruzers.
In Sunday’s race, Felton’s John Chapman (41:11) and Santa Cruz’s Tesla Profumo (42:31) were the top local finishers. Moreover, Profumo was the fastest female and finished sixth overall.
Jeffrey Smith (41:20) and Helena Fabregas (44:01) were the fastest swimmers among those wearing wetsuits.
Aptos’ Suzanne Reidinger, 80, was the oldest entrant and won her age group.
In the Roughwater Swim, UC Santa Cruz graduate student Madison Gruender, a graduate student who hails from Mill Valley, was the fastest female. She finished in 20:46 and placed 14th overall.
Former UCSC swimmer Jack Calhoun (18:39) took third place and was top local male.
Among those wearing wetsuits in the 1-mile swim, Micah Gay (19:45) of Chicago was not only the top female, but the overall winner. San Francisco’s Omer Baristiran (20:37) took second and was the fastest male.
