A summertime tradition for nearly a century, the La Jolla Rough Water Swim was held Sunday at the . More than 2,000 swimmers of all ages competed in the ocean swim, which starts and ends at the Cove.
The junior course was 250 yards. The masters and amateur course was 1 mile and the gatorman course was 3 miles.
The swim was started in 1916 by organizers of the San Diego-Panama
Exposition held the prior year, according to the race website. Seven swimmers competed, including Al Iller, who finished last, and went on to take part in more than 30 of the races, traditionally finishing last each time.
The swim took place only occasionally until 1931 when – with a few exceptions – it became annual.
Subsequent interruptions were caused by sponsorship of another
exposition in San Diego in 1935, a polio scare in 1948 and, in 1959, reported sightings of sharks. That last time, race organizer Douglas McKellar swam the course anyway and didn't see any sharks.
Results are anticipated to be posted after 5 p.m. Sunday.
-City News Service contributed to this report.
