Swimjunkie Challenge in Caramoan

AMAZING SWIM. The participants in the 5th Swimjunkie Challenge Caramoan were one happy and proud bunch of athletes as they finished the grueling race – four beaches, three coral fields, one amazing swim. The sports event was hosted by the provincial government of Camarines Sur under the leadership of Gov. Migz Villafuerte through the different departments like the Provincial Tourism Office and the EDMERO. jmts/rbmjr/mmec073119 with photos from fb_ProvinceofCamSur

For the fifth time, the Swimjunkie Swimming Inc., in partnership with the Provincial Government of Camarines Sur, held the Swimjunkie Challenge in Caramoan last July 28, 2019. The most anticipated event has brought over 170 local and international open water swimmers and adventure-seekers from all over the world.

The islands of Caramoan are known for its pristine shorelines and immaculate waters. It was a location for two early seasons U.S. TV show Survivor and has been the race central of Swimjunkie Challenge Caramoan for five years.

Denise Lampe from Germany, one of the first finishers of the challenge, expressed his admiration for Caramoan. “This is my first time in the Philippines and I’m overjoyed that Caramoan is the first place I visited because it is absolutely stunning!” he exalted.

As the Swimjunkie Challenge Caramoan tagline goes, ‘Four Beaches. Three Coral Fields. One Amazing Swim.’ the participants swam from Gota Village Resort to Hunongan Cove, Lahos Island, and Matukad Island. The swim was comprised of different categories namely, 5KM island-hop swim, 10 KM island-hop and marathon swim, and the inaugural 15 KM island-hop swim.

“I’ve been joining the Swimjunkie Challenge for the last three years and this was the first time I finished first,” shared by the 5KM first finisher, Ethan Cabral of Batangas. “It’s a tough challenge because of the water’s current, I felt really tired when I reached the shore but when I realized that I was the first to finish, all of that disappeared and I felt really happy and proud,” he added cheerfully.

To ensure the safety and security of the swimmers and organizers, the Camsur Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC), activated an Incident Management Team (IMT) comprising of rescue groups and communication groups from different member-agencies and organizations like Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine Army, Philippine Red Cross, Bureau of Fire and Protection, Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Offices, Kabalikat, and REACT among others.

Pontoon swimmers and on-foot medical teams were deployed in the area. Quick-response boats, ambulance boats, evacuation boats, and first aid stations comprised of doctors, nurses, and rescuers, were stationed across the swim route and islands.

Swimjunkie Managing Director Betsy Medalla, extended her gratitude to the provincial government of Camarines Sur, “I want to thank all the responders here today for helping us secure the safety of our swimmers. For the last five years, the Swimjunkie team is always at peace in conducting this challenge because we know we can always count on you in keeping everybody safe.”

Miss Betsy Medalla also announced that after the five-year contract, this will be the last year of Swimjunkie Challenge in Caramoan. Although the new venue is yet to be disclosed, Medalla assured that it will be just as beautiful and amazing.