The Ali‘i Challenge continues to be the Big Island’s most iconic long-distance swim race as after nearly four decades, athletes are still inspired to tick off this bucket list event.
This renowned open water swim offers participants a unique six-mile journey along Kona’s picturesque coastline, starting from the crystal-clear waters of Keauhou Bay and finishing at the tranquil shores of Kamakahonu Beach.
However, the challenge is not just the distance. Swimmers must navigate unpredictable waters where strong currents and sudden chop can make for a grueling test of endurance. Add to that the occasional unwelcome guests — sharks and jellyfish — which makes it clear why this race is not for the faint of heart. Just to finish is a feat, but mastering these tough conditions often comes from years of experience.
This year’s race was held on Sunday, August 11th and marked the 38th edition of the Ali‘i Challenge. The early conditions were among the best seen in recent years as swimmers enjoyed clear waters and a slight favorable current, which helped propel them toward the finish line waiting at Kamakahonu Beach. While the trade winds picked up midway through the race that added an extra layer of difficulty, both the swimmers and their escort crews stayed focused and strong.
What made this year particularly interesting was the size of the field and close finishing times. With only sixteen entrants — ten solo swimmers and six relay teams — this was not only one of the smaller turnouts in recent years, but also swimmers who normally find themselves spread out along the course ended up grouped together, battling to finish within minutes of each other.
First to reach Kamakahonu Beach was Rupert Gorycki, the first “solo” kane (men’s division), in a great time of 2 hours, 40 minutes and 43 seconds. Not too far behind was Scott Zuziak in 2:44:10, with Michael Pipta in third place at 2:56:09.
The overall “solo” wahine honors went to Cat Spina (fins) in a fabulous time of 3:01:06. The next two female spots were Paige Terlip (fins) in 3:29:20, and Brigitte Lank (fins) in 3:42:21. Val Zbezinski was the first female swimmer without fins who finished in a time of 4:11:28. In the wahine relay division, Beata Tou and Rachel Gillis finished with their combined time of 3:05:24.
Mark your calendar as the 2025 Ali’i Challenge 6-Mile open water swim will be held on Sunday, August 10th.
