Athletes Take on Caribbean Open Water Swim
On March 26, two Special Olympics Florida athletes and a Unified partner took part in the annual Nevis to St. Kitts Cross Channel Swim, a 4.1 kilometer open-water swim in the Caribbean.
Athletes Peter Vila (Miami-Dade) and Gianni Mercado (Broward) traveled to the islands with Unified partner Neil Alexander Picon and Coach Viviana Vila. They were joined by Special Olympics Florida Sr. Manager Phil Farinacci. Our team of swimmers finished the Nevis to St. Kitts crossing in 1 hour and 28 minutes, placing in the top 50 in a group of about 200 swimmers.
The Cross Channel Swim is in its 21st year and has become
one of the premiere events on the open-water swim calendar.
Special thanks to race organizer and triathlete Winston Crooke and to Terri Andrews, our Special Olympics contact on Nevis, for including our athletes in this amazing event.