This years Swim Across the Sound may be the best example in a long time of the strength of the swimming programs in Westport through the ages. Westporters, and Westport swimming programs, accounted for nearly 75 percent of the trophy positions, swum in conditions that race director Dave Parcells called “the worst in memory”.

Finishing in the lead, with a margin of 14 minutes after a 6 hour 35 minute swim was the Westport Water Rats team, coached by Ellen Johnson and Bill Krumm. Going in they were the favorites, boasting a team comprised of the winner as well as the former winner of the Westport Point to Point, along with a bevy of top finishers from that swim. Their win this year vindicates last years “almost win” when the race was cut short due to thunderstorms while they held a dominant lead.

Bucking the pre race predictors, the second place team also hailed from Westport. The Westport Swim Club, “Lane 3″ team (6 hours 49 minutes), comprised mostly of swimmers from the Masters program, (along with a WRAT who wanted to swim the event so badly he agreed to do it with the old guys!). Team Captain Jake Gulick organized the swimming order differently than most other teams, putting young WRAT speed gun Matt Watson in more of the “cleanup”position in the batting order, swimming after lead off man Jake and Josh Usdavin. By doing this, the team had more options strategically, and it resulted in exciting surges of positions in the race from team to team. At some early points the team was as high as 2nd, and as low as 5th, but the spread between the teams “Southern Pride”, “Yale Masters”, and the “MBIAC All Stars” was never more than 150 or so yards. Amazingly, the Lane 3 guys surged as close as 200 yards or so to the WRATS at a point aboout 2 hours into the event, spurring WRATS coach Ellen Johnson to modify her team strategy to open the lead up to a safer margin. Lane 3’s secret over the challengers from Southern, MBIAC and Yale was the solidity of the team from top to bottom, and their ability to pound it out in the nasty chop all day long. Coach Mike Laux, himself a Westport swimming fixture since the ’70’s, has to take credit for the two teams conditioning and base. Following Matt Watson into the water was Columbia water polo/rugby player John Ellis, who really rose to the occasion, swimming long and strong. Next up was Jeff Schare, Staples High boys team coach. Jeff fought off a bit of seasickness and swam like a machine, while keeping an eye on his swimmers on the WRATS between his shifts. Andy Davis, the original instigator of the Westport Swim Club’s entry in the swim, impressed with swims that were faster than any distance swims he’s done in recent memory.

To call the start from the beach ‘disorganized mayhem’ would be an understatment. 40 swimmers plunged in off the beach, then proceeded to swim thru 2 or 3 foot chop into an armada of escort boats that were milling about in all directions. Lead off man Jake actually hit a boat that got too close with his left arm, but it was more of a nusiance than real contact. But somehow, boat captain Kip Watson (father of swimmer Matt) spotted him in the mess and settled in for a long day of driving a boat at speeds much slower than the boat was designed for!

Westport Swim Club’s second entry, “Lane 4″ captained by Kim Russo, swam Robbin Watson, (sister of Lane 3’s Matt Watson), in that teams lead off position off the beach, then was unable to find her for an agonizing 26 minutes after the start! They weren’t looking in the right part of the range though as the young WRAT was right at the front swimming with the leaders. Fortunately, they were able to get her out of the water under the 30 minute limit imposed as a maximum for each relay swimmer by the event organizers, and settled into their rotation, with swimmers Julie Usdavin, JoAnne Usdavin, Harvard alumn Susan De Roberts, and John Schwarten.

As the race progressed past the half way point Lane 3 was able to cement their position in 2nd over the Southern Pride, Yale and MBIAC All Star teams. Interestingly, the Westport theme runs deeper than just the WRAT, Lane 3 and Lane 4 teams, and into the other top finshers. Eric Burns and Bruce Koffsky, swimming for Southern Pride are Westport Master swimmers, and Greg Sargent, swimming for the MBIAC Allstars has swum many a thousand yards in the Y pool as well. Westport Master swimmer Kevin O’Conner led a team of his buds, Rich Moore Construction, across the sound as well.

15 individual swimmers started the swim, but the conditions were just too tough, and took their toll. Only 3 made the entire distance, among them 3rd place (individual) swimmer David Knight of Wesport, who used the swim to train for a future Channel crossing.

Both Westort Swim Club teams left the event well satisfied. Lane 4 swam a long grueling race to finish 15th out of 23, on a day when merely finishing was a huge accomplishent, and Lane 3 exceeded pre race predictions with a solid 2nd. Cumulativley, the two teams combined to raise nearly $12, 000 for the Swim Across the Sound charity to support cancer prevention, awareness and coping programs on the local level.

More info on the swim…

• Swim Across the Sound Makes a Big Splash for Cancer Patients

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