An international field of 181 swimmers participated in the five, two and one-mile open water swims
on Sunday, Nov 13, 2022. The sold out five-mile race originated at Buck Island National Monument,
while the two-mile began at Pull Point, and the one-mile at Shoy’s Beach. All three events ran
concurrently and ended at the palm-shaded shore at The Buccaneer’s Mermaid Beach. Swimmers
ranged in age from 12 to 78. Onlookers cheered on their friends and family as they enjoyed the steel
pan band on the beach, and the entertaining mocko jumbie dancers.
The Coral Reef Swim was founded by Elizabeth Armstrong, owner of The Buccaneer, and her friend
Kim Rice Sanford, in 1996. It has become one of the top open water events in The Caribbean.
Zane Grothe, 30, from Auburn, AL, led the field of 67 and completed the five-mile course first, with a
time of 1:43:28. Grothe was on the US World Championship Team from 2016-2017, and a member
of the US Pan-Pac Team in 2018. Alex Kostich, 52, from Los Angeles, having taken first place 21 of
the 24 times he has swum this race, finished second overall with a time of 1:49:37. Kaeden Gleason,
15 years old from St. Croix, finished third in 1:51:21. Female winners were Kyla Hallam, 23, from
Westminster CO, (2:06:46), followed by Clare Cushing, 25, from Lenexa KS (2:10;46) and Natalie
Heidrich, 55, from Ponce Inlet, FL (2:20:03).
The 52- person two-mile event was won by Aidan Brown, 19, from Wayne PA with a time of 55:23,
while second place was claimed by Michael McGean, 27, from Cambridge, MA, (56.24). Ginny
Jordan, 30, from Tampa, Florida (57:00), was third, thereby claiming the first-place women’s position as well. Second for women was Bethany Aronow, 57, from New Canaan CT (1:02:45), while the third spot was won by Emily Rose, 30, from McClean, VA, (1:04:22).
Of the 62 one-mile swimmers, winners were Daryan Maynard, 14, from St Croix, (24:32), Charlie
Han, 18, from Hixson, TN (28:13), and Teague Gleason, 12, from St Croix, (28:17). Female winners
were led by Kyleigh Rychlik, 13, from Maple Valley, WA, (28:19), right on the heels of the male
winners, with second going to Diella Maynard, 12, from St Croix, (28:21), and third place to Camille
Schechter, 17, from Miami, FL, (28:35).
Race sponsors included The Buccaneer Beach and Golf Resort, AeroMD, Caribbean Sea Adventures,
Teroro II, Bellows International, Cruzan Rum, Coca-Cola, Big Beard’s Adventure Tours, St Croix Yacht Club, Massage Academy VI, and Sea Sports St Croix. The race committee is grateful also to the many volunteers on the sea and on land who made the race possible, including St Croix Rescue and EMTs, US Coast Guard, St Croix Fire Department, and the Department of Planning and Natural Resources.
The 27th Annual St Croix Coral Reef Swim is slated for Sunday November 12, 2023. More
information, please visit www.swimrace.com www.swimrace.com