Saratoga News

Saratoga's Kevin Buskirk, Robert Carter, Simon O'Connell and Daniel O'Connell competed in the fifth annual Sharkfest Swim this summer.

Saratogans escape from 'The Rock'

Four swim from Alcatraz to San Francisco

By Dick Sparrer

For more than 30 years, prisoners tried in vain to escape from Alcatraz Federal Peneteniary.

Few ever could.

But this summer, there was a mass escape from the "The Rock" when 343 swimmers braved the icy waters of San Francisco Bay in the fifth annual Alcatraz Sharkfest Swim.

The swimmers splashed their way across 1.5 miles, from Alcatraz Island to San Francisco's Aquatic Park in the annual event sponsored by Enviro Sports.

Of course, many of the residents of "The Rock" from 1934 to 1963 would have killed (some of them literally) for one of the wetsuits worn by the Sharkfest competitors. But the fact that they were wearing cold-water suits doesn't diminish the accomplishments of the athletes in the field.

Four Saratoga swimmers were in that field for the June 15 swim, including recent Saratoga High graduates Simon O'Connell, Robert Carter and Kevin Buskirk and Saratoga junior Daniel O'Connell. All four were members of the Saratoga water polo squad last fall.

S. O'Connell led the Saratoga contingent to Aquatic Park, swimming the 112 miles in 39:05 to end up 69th among the 343 finishers.

D. O'Connell was 95th in 41:31, with Buskirk 99th in 42:17 and Carter 273rd in 58:53.

Randall Eickhoff of Los Angeles won the race in 29:28, with Brad Hibbard of Santa Barbara second in 30:38.

Scott Zavack of Los Gatos earned a place in the top 20, finishing 18th in 34:51.

Alex MacDonell of San Jose was 23rd in 35:19, with Troy Soares of Sunnyvale 28th in 35:30, David Dahl of Cupertino 32nd in 35:45 and Ed Strachar of Cupertino 33rd in 35:47.

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