Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California.

Danika Thompson may not view herself as a pure swimmer, but she is certainly a water woman.

The 22-year-old lifeguard and former water polo player from San Clemente, California surfs, competes in paddle boarding both SUP and 10’6″ prone paddling, surf skis, and does biathlons and lifeguard competitions in both cold and warm, calm and rough ocean waters with and without marine life.

“I’m not a swimmer, but I really enjoy the open water,” she humbly admitted as her navigational IQ and streamlined body position while sighting were obvious.

And not surprisingly, today’s relatively calm 55°F (12.7°C) water did not faze her a bit. She won US$500 for being the first skins (bioprene) swimmer across the finish line in the 2-mile Alcatraz Classic for the Fastest.

She carefully listened to the race instructions by organizer Pedro Ordenes and then took great lines from Alcatraz towards Aquatic Park and then caught the tidal flow to the St. Francis Yacht Club.

For the overall race results, visit here.

Copyright © 2015 by World Open Water Swimming Association