Local swimmers collect awards in St. Croix

Four local female swimmers won age-group awards in the 29th annual Coral Reef Swim Nov. 9, in the warm blue waters of the Caribbean in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. 

The event drew 176 swimmers from across the U.S. to swim 1 mile, 2.4 miles or 5 miles. Six members of Open Water Swimmers of Southern Delaware competed. This is the third straight year the group has participated and won awards.

In the 1-mile female 60-69 age group, Mary Ruggiero, 60, of Lewes took first place with a time of 38:55. Laura Strutz, 62, of Newark earned third place with a time of 44:35.

In the 1-mile female 70-79 age group, Betsy Tootell, 71, of Lewes, won with a time of 50:27.

In the 2.4-mile female 70-79 age group, Marilyn Spitz, 75, of Lewes earned third place with time of 1:21:55.

Open Water Swimmers of Southern Delaware is a group of 566 people passionate about the exhilarating experience of distance open-water swimming and cold-water plunging in Delaware Bay and the Atlantic Ocean in Sussex County.