While the most famous Triple Crown in sports will run its first leg Saturday at the Kentucky derby, closer to home on the same day, the Big Island’s own version of a three-race series will also be revving up with
While the most famous Triple Crown in sports will run its first leg Saturday at the Kentucky derby, closer to home on the same day, the Big Island’s own version of a three-race series will also be revving up with the Cinco de Mayo Splash at Anaehoomalu Bay.
The 1-mile open water race is the first in the Triple Crown of open water swimming. The summer-series also includes the Hapuna Rough Water Swim on June 13, and wraps up with the King’s Swim on July 4. After the conclusion of the King’s Swim, awards will be handed out to the top male and female swimmers with the lowest cumulative time between all three events.
Kealakehe graduate Leahi Camacho dominated the series the last three years, capturing a three-peat in the women’s division. However, Camacho is currently finishing up her freshman year on the East Coast at Wagner College and won’t be around to defend her title.
On the men’s side, defending champion and West Hawaii Exploration Academy senior Daniel Manzo appears to be the swimmer to beat. He took home the crown last year despite not winning a race, but managed a top five finish in every event.
The Cinco de Mayo Spash is not the oldest event in the series — that honor belongs to the Hapuna Rough Water Swim — but still has quite the history.
Brad Kurtz put on the first Cinco de Mayo Splash in 1996 at Kailua Bay before the race was moved to Anaehoomalu Bay thanks to a partnership with the Hilton Waikoloa. Since then, the race has since seen a few incarnations at different locations thanks to passionate community members coming together to keep the tradition alive.
It was not until 2011 when Bike Works Beach & Sports owners Janet Higa-Miller and Grant Miller brought some consistency back to the event. They have used it as a way to give back to the community.
“The race has a long and storied history. It could have fallen by the wayside during many of those years and yet this tradition of the Splash lives on,” Higa-Miller said. “If you talk story with the people who have been a part of the Splash tradition for many years you find a camaraderie, a passion for sport and a love for this community that we are so fortunate to live and play in.”
The entry fees from last year’s race raised $4,000 for the Daniel Sayre Memorial Foundation. This year the race will be a fundraiser for ALS TDI in honor of Karen O’Riordan and the Daniel Sayre Foundation
“The Big Island sporting community has been so good to us over the years in support of Bike Works. This is our way of giving back and to make a difference through people and organizations that have personally touched our lives and allows us to express gratitude for our health and every day that we get to enjoy being outdoors and active,” Higa-Miller said. “Karen was an IRONMAN triathlete before she was stricken with ALS and lost complete function of her body. ALS TDI is dedicated to researching for a cure. The County of Hawaii Lifeguards save lives and protect us from danger at the beaches every day. The Daniel Sayre Memorial Foundation is dedicated to providing life saving equipment that helps them do their job.”
“When you combine sport and a charitable purpose there is such a potential to make a difference in this community that we love to live and play in.”
