Eric Nilsson Wins Looong Distance Invitational In Hawaii

Courtesy of WOWSA, Honolulu, Hawaii. Race Director Jim Anderson called it a challenging day for the support staff with all the rain and less-than-ideal conditions, but it was a good day for the swimmers, especially for Massachusetts native Eric Nilsson who comfortably won the 29th Possibly Annual Hawaiian Christmas Looong Distance Invitational Rough-H20 Swim in 1:34:54. Kathryn Taylor was second in 1:53:26, Ian Watters was third in 1:54:15, Kaun Nalani was fourth in 1:58:45 and Brook Nottage was fifth in 1:57:2.

Nalani Kaun (1:58:45), Kate Perry (2:01:06), Kelly Howell (2:02:34), Paul Sturtevant (2:15:19), Patrick Dixon (2:04:23), Denise Webb (2:42:32), Michelle Simmons (2:07:27), Jana Pttchova (2:08:10) and Jim Merchant (2:08:15) rounded out other top finishes in the rough, rainy conditions.

There was also a great race in the men’s 60-64 year age group: Patrick Dixon (2:04:23) finished 9th overall, leading Jim Merchant (2:08:15), Bruce Sloan (2:09:16) and Marc Montogery (2:27:56).
Other members of the Half Century Club who finished the 7 km race that started and finished in the shadows of the Diamond Head volcano in Waikiki Beach included Jennifer Stabrylla (2:11:00), Mark Heckman (2:16:13), Uli Klinke (2:16:50), Laurie Foster (2:26:45), 74-year-old Ernie Leskovitz (2:27:40), Charles Kim (2:38:27), Jeffrey Dodge (2:44:23), Robert Murray (2:45:42), Warren Duryea (2:52:54), Valisa Saunders (3:03:37), 76-year-old Vernon Knight (3:36:36) and Michael Wong (3:55:05).


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