Swim Across The Sound Makes

A Big Splash For Cancer Patients

BRIDGEPORT — More than 150 swimmers, both solo swimmers, and relay teams, battled choppy seas and strong currents in the 17th annual Swim Across the Sound Saturday to raise funds for cancer patients and their families.

The swimmers covered the 15-mile course from Port Jefferson, Long Island, to Captain’s Cove in Bridgeport. Deb Cashin of Cheshire was the first female solo swimmer to finish in approximately 8 hours and 30 minutes and Monique Crane of Waterbury was the woman’s runner up. David Knight of Westport was the first male solo to touch the finish line in about nine hours. The Westport Water Wrats were the first relay team to finish out of a total of 23 teams in six and a half hours.

The event raised a record total of more than $180,000. Each relay team raised a minimum of $5,000 in pledges and solo swimmers a minimum of $1,000.

This year was the largest field of amateurs with 15 soloists and 23 relay teams, with swimmers ranging in age from 12 to 63. Many of the swimmers did this event not only for themselves, but also for the memories of friends, relatives, or loved ones dealing with cancer.

The “Swim” changed to an all-amateur format last year, returning to its roots. The event began in 1987 with a Fairfield University student Jeff Keith, who had lost part of a leg to cancer, swimming the Sound and raising $5,000. For several years after that, the Swim was part of a professional racing circuit, drawing marathon swimmers from around the world, who competed for cash prizes.

Swim Across the Sound sponsors 34 cancer education, screening, and prevention programs. In 2003, the Swim raised a record $2.5 million and helped 18,000 cancer patients and their families.