Open Water Challenge
Dear Editor: Thank you to all of the wonderful supporters and sponsors of the 2023 Change Your Latitude Open Water Challenge. It was great to have swimmers back to Sitka and seeing 59 finishers in the 10k, 6k, 3k, and 1k swims!
The Baranof Barracuda Swim Club and race organizers would especially like to thank Fisherman’s Quay, LFS Inc., Russell’s, Hames Corporation and Arena for support, donations and prizes for this year’s event. Great job, Levi and West Coast Workshop, for the beautiful trophies!
Chefs Rob and Merril, your salmon BBQ was out of this world and certainly a topic of joy to all our swimmers and volunteers! Thank you, North Pacific Seafoods and Silver Bay Seafoods, for your generous donations of voho salmon, and ASEA Chapter for donating ingredients for the salmon.
Thank you to all of our volunteer safety kayakers and support boats, and the U.S. Coast Guard Aids to Navigation Team and Sitka Fire and Dive for their support of the swimmers while in the water. Dr. Julian Naylor and Dr. Lisa Antonio, who tended to all of us on land. Without those keen eyes out there on the water, and expert help for a cold swimmer or two, this event wouldn’t be wise to do. A special thank you to all of our kayak volunteers including those from the Sitka Americorps crew, our swimmers were yet again impressed and pleased and made some new friends in Sitka!
And to all of the individual volunteers, too many to call out by name, but a huge thank you to you. Sitka High swimmers, thank you for your time and energy in helping muscle around tables, kayaks and BBQing burgers and dogs for our tired and hungry swimmers and kayakers at the end of the race.
Kevin Knox, Kris Calvin
Co-Race Directors
Change Your Latitude-
57° North Open Water Challenge
Baranof Barracudas Swim Team
