Bryson Mays and Ashley Twitchell won the St. Croix Dolphins 1-mile Sea Swim, a race with a great start off of Frederiksted Pier, beautiful middle and picturesque finish.
Bryson, a local 15-year-old, beat 80 college men in a time of 21 minutes and 36 seconds. Ashley Twichell, a senior at Duke University, was the top female swimmer while taking second overall at 21:41.
In a deference to his older counterparts, Bryson told the Virgin Islands Daily News, “I know most of the college kids weren’t racing full speed, but it’s still a good feeling to take first overall.” But Bryson was all business from the start from Frederiksted Pier with a traditional conch start. “[Ashley] came up pretty close at the midway buoy, but then I started to kick.”
But Ashley may have been distracted. “This race was just so beautiful. I saw some fish along the way and I couldn’t get over the scenery,” she gushed to the Virgin Islands Daily News. “It’s such a great trip for us. Everyone is so nice and it’s a great experience for our team. It’s a vacation, but we work hard.”
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.