'A willingness to keep on splashing'

SANDPOINT — Is it any wonder why the Long Bridge Swim gets bigger every year?

Saturday marks the 15th year of what is billed as the Northwest’s premier open water swimming event, and once again a record number of swimmers are expected to hit the water and swim the 1.76 mile span alongside the iconic Long Bridge.

Race inventor, director and participant Eric Ridgway received a whopping 70 registrations on Wednesday, the most he’s ever seen in one day, and more than 700 swimmers — from elite swimmers in wet suits to fun-seeking folks with fins, snorkels and flotation devices — are expected to hit the water in the unique community event. Last year 639 swimmers finished the race, shattering the previous record.

“You don’t need to be a super athlete or a serious swimmer,” explained Ridgway, the driving force behind popular race, whose motto is ‘take the challenge, take the plunge.’ “All you need is a strong sense of adventure and a willingness to keep on splashing.”

Swimming enthusiasts from all over the U.S. will be on hand, spanning eight decades in age, drawn by the homespun charm and unique viewing vantages the race has to offer. Past and current college swimmers will be sharing the water with cancer survivors, the reasons for racing as varied as the skill levels. Fathers and sons, mothers and daughters and even entire families will be taking the challenge. People more than 80 years-old and kids under 10 will be sharing the water, surrounded by safety kayaks.

One of the intriguing pre-race plot lines involves a 13 year-old from Coeur d’Alene named Bryce Kananowicz, who Ridgway believes has a legitimate shot to win the swim. He recently won the Steve Omi Swim in Coeur d’Alene, clocking a lickety-split 19 minutes and 42 seconds in the one-mile open water race. Second place in that race was a 14 year-old girl, another fact Ridgway found remarkable.

While many will be leaving a wake in search of the fastest time possible, even more will simply be enjoying a peaceful float, part of the allure of the race, which this year will take place in unusually warm 74 degree water.

“What’s really fun is to see how excited people are to take the challenge,” said Ridgway of what he loves most about the race. “That feeling of success gives people a sense of accomplishment. That sense of accomplishment is my reward.”

While the race is Ridgway’s baby, he says the success mostly stems from the scores of volunteers, who help lend the race its unique flavor.

“The word’s gotten out that it’s really fun and it’s fun because of the volunteers,” said Ridgway, adding it’s more a festival on the lake than an actual race. “They’re some of the friendliest people I know and without them, there’s no way we could do this.”

For more information, visit “www.longbridgeswim.com.”