The first Future of Hawaii Keiki ocean swim took place Saturday morning at Kailua Pier.
The event welcomed children younger than 16-years-old to participate. Swimmers raced on either a 500-meter or half-mile route. Participants chose which course to swim depending on their experience in the water.
Kona Resetnikov finished the 500-meter course first with a time of 7 minutes and 9 seconds. Nine-year-old Mehana Resetnikov came in next at 7:29.
Lexi DeCarli, Silas Wiley and Maile Feduik all finished the half-mile course in less than 15 minutes.
The event was part of Kealakehe student Leahi Camacho’s senior project. Camacho became the youngest swimmer to conquer the Kaiwi Channel last August. The race is a form of giving back to the community that supported her through the journey.
The race was watched over by water patrol, making the environment as hospitable as possible for the young swimmers.
“The goal of my project is to introduce young children to the world of ocean swimming in a safe and comfortable environment,” Camacho wrote in an email to West Hawaii Today.