Jaimie Monahan and Cameron Bellamy, both superstars of the open water swimming world will attend the 8th annual Barbados Open Water Festival to be hosted in Carlisle Bay in November. With just four months to go, the Festival planning has moved into high gear and organizers are thankful for the timely and critical support via a strengthened partnership with long time partner Chefette Restaurants.
Photo courtesy of Jaimie Monahan.
Jaimie Monahan, a renowned ultra-marathon and ice swimmer, will make her first appearance at the Festival in 2019. The New Yorker is globally known as a “Queen of Cold Water Swimming” but can't wait to get a swim in the warmer waters of Barbados:
"I keep looking at photos of the water there and am getting way too excited – it’s still months away!"
Jaimie’s endless list of outstanding achievements includes: first to accomplish the Ice Sevens, numerous marathon swims including a 92K double Manhattan island swim, six marathon swims on six continents in sixteen days, winner of the inaugural International Winter Swimming Association’s World Cup and seven-time US National Winter Swimming champ.
"I keep looking at photos of the water there and am getting way too excited – it’s still months away!"
Jaimie’s endless list of outstanding achievements includes: first to accomplish the Ice Sevens, numerous marathon swims including a 92K double Manhattan island swim, six marathon swims on six continents in sixteen days, winner of the inaugural International Winter Swimming Association’s World Cup and seven-time US National Winter Swimming champ.
Cameron Bellamy is practically a household name in Barbados! His phenomenal 2018 included completion of his six-year journey to swimming seven of the toughest channels in the world, earning himself a title held by only 10 other people: Oceans Seven swimmer. Then, he created history by completing a highly complex circumnavigation of Barbados, swimming a gruelling 96K around the jagged coastline. In November 2019 the endurance athlete extraordinaire will return to Barbados for the 8th annual Festival following his planned Cuba-Florida swim attempt. This will be his most daunting challenge to date, an attempt to swim 103 miles from Havana, Cuba to Key West in September 2019. An incredible and almost unimaginable undertaking!
Over the life of the event the Festival has welcomed swimmers of all ages and abilities from more than thirty-five countries. From recreational to elite, pool swimmers to channel swimmers, world champions and Olympians, from as far away as Hong Kong, Australia, South Africa and Singapore. Every year the swimmers arrive from different countries but all with a shared passion for open water swimming and heart-warming camaraderie ensues. In 2019 many returning regulars are expected from the UK, Canada, USA and Trinidad. Recently the Pan Canadian Provincial Open Water Swim Team has confirmed they will attend in 2019 with twenty-four swimmers accompanied by the Canadian Distance Open Water Coach Mark Perry.
Co-Director for the event Kristina Evelyn lauded Chefette for their valued and longstanding contribution to the event which over many years has included prizes for winning swimmers, shade tents on the beach and branded items as giveaways dating back to the first Festival in 2013. In 2019 with Chefette’s support swimmers will receive unique redesigned commemorative finisher medals for all races completed and winner medals in multiple age categories.
Over the life of the event the Festival has welcomed swimmers of all ages and abilities from more than thirty-five countries. From recreational to elite, pool swimmers to channel swimmers, world champions and Olympians, from as far away as Hong Kong, Australia, South Africa and Singapore. Every year the swimmers arrive from different countries but all with a shared passion for open water swimming and heart-warming camaraderie ensues. In 2019 many returning regulars are expected from the UK, Canada, USA and Trinidad. Recently the Pan Canadian Provincial Open Water Swim Team has confirmed they will attend in 2019 with twenty-four swimmers accompanied by the Canadian Distance Open Water Coach Mark Perry.
Co-Director for the event Kristina Evelyn lauded Chefette for their valued and longstanding contribution to the event which over many years has included prizes for winning swimmers, shade tents on the beach and branded items as giveaways dating back to the first Festival in 2013. In 2019 with Chefette’s support swimmers will receive unique redesigned commemorative finisher medals for all races completed and winner medals in multiple age categories.
2019 Finisher Medals
Advertising Manager, Lisa Carter thanked the organizers for the opportunity to partner with them and said “In pursuit of our philosophy to give back to the community, one of our mandates is “Promoting of active lifestyles” whereby we encourage our customers, especially the kids, to participate in as many sporting and social activities as possible to foster more balanced lifestyles. Hence Chefette’s support to the Barbados Open Water Festival.
Evelyn noted that without corporate support and backing by agencies such as the Tourism Development Corporation and the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. the Festival may not have survived. The event has grown with every year and currently attracts several hundred visitors to the island every November.
The offerings remain the same as in 2018 with three days of practice swims and four races (1.5K, 3.3K, 5K and 10K). Highlights will include professional timing by Sportstats, live steel pan music on the beach and numerous random prizes. The event is scheduled for November 6-10.
Evelyn noted that without corporate support and backing by agencies such as the Tourism Development Corporation and the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. the Festival may not have survived. The event has grown with every year and currently attracts several hundred visitors to the island every November.
The offerings remain the same as in 2018 with three days of practice swims and four races (1.5K, 3.3K, 5K and 10K). Highlights will include professional timing by Sportstats, live steel pan music on the beach and numerous random prizes. The event is scheduled for November 6-10.
