The anticipation of the race is over; the butteflies are gone; the worry is over.
You just started the race and so many sensations are bombarding your mind. The water is a bit cool and there is chaos around you. People to your left, people to your right. Your heart is beating fast and you’re a bit winded wondering when the pace is going to slow.
The start: it is the feeling of the challenge has just begun and you swim on.
Matteo Testa, Director of Bewater and organizer of the ProSwim Challenge in the Mediterranean Sea in Italy and Spain, provided photos of a marvelous new 3-race event in Italy, Spain and France.
Above is a photo of the field just starting out at the Swim the Island event, a course around the Marine Protected Area of Bergeggi of 3 different distances: 1700m, 3500m and 5000m.
Southern California native, born 1962, is the creator of the WOWSA Awards, Oceans Seven, Openwaterpedia, Citrus Corps, World Open Water Swimming Association, Daily News of Open Water Swimming, Global Open Water Swimming Conference. He is Chief Executive Officer of KAATSU Global and KAATSU Research Institute. Inductee in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Swimmer, Class of 2001) and Ice Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Contributor - Media, Class of 2019), recipient of the International Swimming Hall of Fame's Poseidon Award (2016), International Swimming Hall of Fame's Irving Davids-Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award (2010), USA Swimming's Glen S. Hummer Award (2007, 2010) and Harvard University's John B. Imrie Award (1984). Served on the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee and as Technical Delegate with the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games, and 9-time USA Swimming coaching staff. Note: WOWSA only recommends products or services used or recommended by the community. WOWSA does not receive compensation for links or products mentioned on this site or in blog posts. If it does, it will be indicated clearly on that specific post. See WOWSA's privacy policy for more information.