Not wind, not waves, not the brackish taste of the Atlantic Ocean could stop Page Beecher, as the 19-year-old won his second consecutive YMCA Peaks-to-Portland Swim, outpacing 159 others Saturday in the 24th edition of the event.
“It was just a lot rougher this year,” said the Scarborough native, who finished the 2.4-mile course in 47:51, nearly a minute and a half ahead of his nearest competitor.
While supporters and spectators on Portland’s East End Beach looked out at Casco Bay with eyes shielded from the bright sun, a breeze rose out on the channel, stirring up the sea water – as if such an endeavor weren’t challenging enough.
“There were a couple swells that got me. I got a few mouthfuls of water, but I definitely felt stronger than last year. I was getting blown toward Fort Gorges for a while, but I kept on track.”
Beecher, who helped the Alfred University men’s swim team compile a 7-1 record in his freshman year, clocked in almost five minutes behind last year’s winning time of 42:53.
“This year was a little bit slower because of the tide and the waves,” said Beecher, who emerged from the surf with a little blood trickling from a scratched lip, but otherwise feeling strong. “I’m happy with it though.”
Scarborough’s Jeff Small, swimming the Peaks after a 14-year hiatus, finished in eighth place at 51:30.
“I came in right where I hoped,” the 32-year-old said. “I did the race back in ’91, but I’m in a lot better shape now.”
In ninth place, right behind Small, was Kurt Jorgensen (51:54), who is moving to South Portland from Portland this week.
“I did it last year for the first time,” said Jorgensen, 28. “It was really choppy this year. I didn’t do as well as I would have liked, but it was a good race.”
Kathy Barber, who kayaked a third time for swimmer Mike LePage (54:33), said that conditions on the water changed rather quickly.
“When we paddled over this morning it was smooth as glass,” said Barber, who lives in Cape Elizabeth. “No seaweed, no nothing, but on the way back the wind really picked up. It was amazing the difference.”
“Chop, chop, chop,” LePage, 49, a Cumberland resident, said of the conditions. “If anybody said they didn’t swallow any water, they were lying.”
“It was a little choppy by the fort,” said Dan Reid (63:06), 47, of Cape Elizabeth. “The wind was coming in from the north, and I was just trying to go in the right direction.”
Though this year’s swim was the third for Christine Mallar (70:17) of Scarborough, it was her slowest time, and she knew why.
“I didn’t prepare for this year as I have in past years,” said the 36-year-old, “so it was a little tougher for me, but still it was a lot of fun. This year what’s nice is that I have friends from out of town and friends from work who came to see me.”
Cape Elizabeth’s Grady Jackson (57:31), 18, said that he would give his father Ed (72:08), 59, a hard time after beating him by almost 15 minutes, while fellow Caper Cole Theriault (61:28), in his first Peaks, called the race “awesome” and noted, as did many others, that the water warmed up about half way through the course.
Falmouth’s Laura Lazenby (52:58), 16, was the first female to finish the swim, which raised nearly $15,000 for the Cumberland County YMCA’s Annual Scholarship Drive.
“The event was a complete success,” said Ann-Marie Brown, the YMCA’s marketing and membership director. “It was competitive, safe and a good time for everyone involved.”
After completing his seventh consecutive channel crossing, David Backer (70:12), 53, talked about the difficulties swimmers face.
“It’s always cold. It’s always choppy. And it always seems like the beach will never come,” the Cape Elizabeth resident said. “And (when you reach the beach) you step on sharp shells and you’re legs aren’t used to being vertical, and it’s not as easy as it looks getting out of the water.”
Backer then paused a moment to consider why he participates each year, then added, “I’m just trying to keep pace with Lance Armstrong.”
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