30.Sep.09 | posted by: steve munatones | filed under: Solo Challenges |
SwimNetwork introduced Lewis Gordon Pugh's upcoming swim in a glacier lake at 17,000-feet altitude on Mt. Everest. You can read his interview about his breathtaking swim here. It is a dramatic message - personalified with a daredevil swim - done by an astonishing individual.
Lewis' swim in the North Pole can be seen here. Lewis' swim in the South Pole can be seen here.
30.Sep.09 | posted by: steve munatones | filed under: History |
Yuri (Yury) Kudinov (Russian: Юрий Кудинов) of Volgograd is another great Russian crossover swimmer.
After years of hard pool training as a 400- and 1500-meter freestyler, Yuri shifted gears and 25K races became his domain.
Yuri continued the long list of strong Russian 25K swimmers and confirmed his status as probably the greatest as he won his specialty at the 2000 World Open Water Swimming Championship, the 2001 World Swimming Championships, the 2002 World Open Water Swimming Championships, the 2003 World Swimming Championships and the 2007 World Swimming Championships with silver medals at the 2004 World Open Water Swimming Championship and at the 2006 World Open Water Swimming Championships and a bronze at the 2008 World Open Water Swimming Championships.
In addition to facing down the fastest long-distance men in competitions, Yuri also swam one of the fastest times ever recorded in the English Channel when he swam 7 hours and 5 minutes across the Channel on a spectacular day when he just fell short behind Petar Stoychev.
Yuri's record of accomplishment is impressive, especially given the fact that he was consistently strong in cold water, warm water, flat water, rough water, salt water and fresh water proving his versatility as one of the world's fastest open water swimmers:
FINA World Championsips: 2000 25K gold (Honolulu, Hawaii), 2001 25K gold (Fukuoka, Japan), 2002 25K gold (Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt), 2003 25K gold (Barcelona, Spain), 2004 25K silver (Dubai, United Arab Emirates), 2006 25K silver (Naples, Italy), 2007 25K gold (Melbourne, Australia) and 2008 25K bronze (Seville, Spain).
LEN European Championships: 2002 25K gold (Berlin, Germany)
Other: 1995 16K silver Russian National Open Water Championships (Black Sea), 1997 16K silver and 5K gold Russian National Open Water Championships (Black Sea), 1998 15K gold European Cup (Czech Republic), 1998 16K gold Russian National Open Water Championships (Black Sea), 1998 25K gold Open Championship of Japan, 1998 16K gold FINA World Cup (Croatia), 2000 16K gold and 5K gold Russian National Open Water Championships (Black Sea), 2000 9K bronze and 16K silver FINA World Cup (Bled, Slovenia), 2001 16K gold and 5K gold Russian National Open Water Swimming Championships (Black Sea), 2001 25K gold Cup 'de maestro' (Argentina), 2001 25K gold FINA World Cup (Haikou, Hainan, China), 2003 37K gold FINA World Cup (Atlantic City, USA), 2004 36K gold FINA World Cup (Maratona del Golfo, Capri-Napoli, Italy), 2004 30K bronze FINA World Cup (Ohrid, Macedonia), 2004 16K gold Russian National Open Water Championships (Black Sea), 2005 10K bronze FINA World Cup (Hong Kong), 2005 10K bronze FINA World Cup (Al Fujairah, United Arab Emirates), 2005 16K gold Russian National Open Water Championships, 2006 36K gold FINA World Cup (Maratona del Golfo, Capri-Napoli, Italy), 2007 10K silver FINA World Cup (Santos, Brazil), 2008 10K bronze FINA World Cup (Setubal, Portugal), 2009 relay 5K silver Russian National Open Water Championships.
How serious is Yuri? The man runs into the water on his English Channel attempt. Check it Pavel Kuznetsov's 4-minute video with dramatic music below. In Pavel's the video, you can see how close Yuri's boat started after Peter Stoychev's boat. You can see the full Russian-language version here.
30.Sep.09 | posted by: steve munatones | filed under: Swimmers |
47-year-old Ryszard Majewski (shown on right), a recent convert to open water swimming due to severe arthritis in his right knee and two bulging discs in my back, informed us divine help when he participated in the beautiful la Travesía de La Graciosa a 2.8K island crossing between Lanzarote and the volanic island of La Graciosa across the strait of Rio.
The race is called the Queen of the Open Water Swims in the Canary Islands.
"498 swimmers took part in la Travesía de La Graciosa. "The race was great with amazing water and weather conditions with the exception of a current [across the Rio - shown in black in the map above]," explained Ryszard. The boats dropped us off 200 meters from the starting point in the water. We jumped off and swam towards the beach. 100 meters later I discovered my goggles were missing. "Panicked and stressed thinking all the sacrifice, training and money I spent to take part in this event went all out the window as there was no way to swim without goggles," continued Ryszard.
"With 500 bodies in the water, 8 zodiac boats, 2 ferry boats and 15 canoes, the goggles could have been anywhere."
"Then there was a message from God telling me to swim back 100 meters towards the boat and...there my goggles were floating!"
30.Sep.09 | posted by: steve munatones | filed under: Solo Challenges |
Julian Crabtree, who started and finished every single heat of every 1-mile swim in the 4-part Great Swim series ended up swimming a total distance of 44 miles.
This was his first-hand account before the last eight miles of his solo challenge:
"I have no real game plan going into the Great East Swim. My only intention is to enjoy swimming all day and try to remember as much of it as I can. That may sound strange, but sometimes we are so busy worrying and stressing about what is ahead we forget to take the time to look around and enjoy what we are actually doing. Despite this mindset, I am still very nervous. I have 8 waves to do – just 8 more miles to finish the Great Nova Swim Challenge. With so many waves already under my belt, I should be an old hand at this, but the butterflies start to flutter deep inside as I prepare for the first wave of the day."
"Apart from making sure I enjoy every stroke I have also decided to give everything I can in every wave. I want that numb, exhausted feeling that only comes from pushing yourself hard. Perhaps I should be taking it easy, but I feel that is wrong and want to leave The Great East Swim with the knowledge that I gave it my all."
"I have the honour of starting the first wave which is great - the problem is I have to run down the steps and start from the very back. It's tough at the back. Usually I start at the front and go off at an angle to get away from any stray hands and feet. Then I settle into my own rhythm with relatively clear water around me. However from the back there is a lot more traffic and hazards to deal with. With the clock always ticking down in my head, I panic a little about whether I can swim through the wave and get back for the start of the second wave in time."
"I’m puffing by the time I get out, but that is okay – it is what I wanted and I am relieved to see I have a good five minutes before the next wave starts. The morning goes remarkably quickly and apart from one wobble when I feel a bit dizzy after running back to the start, I am really enjoying myself. Everywhere you look there are people to inspire you. From Keri-Anne Payne who at every Great Swim has made a point of asking me how I am and wishing me luck, to Duncan Goodhew who slaps me on the back when I run past. The other swimmers are fantastic too – there is a great feeling of camaraderie and bonhomie in all the waves."
"Five down and just three to go – but these three are going every hour opposed to the 30 minutes of the previous 29 waves. “Easy after Windermere” everyone says, but I still have a gnawing doubt. Finally I am on my last wave – I feel a bit of melancholy and I will miss the Nova crew who looked after me so well. I am deep in their debt. Without them, I would not be preparing to face the final mile."
"Steve Parry and Alan Bircher are swimming the final wave too – Steve is keen to swim with me, but I can also sense he is up for giving Alan a run for his money. The hooter goes for the final time and I push off after Alan and Steve with everything I have got. I hang on for as long as I can – which is about five strokes. I love it though and try to stop laughing at the ridiculousness of what I am trying to do – even if I hadn’t swam all the other waves there would be no way I could keep up with them, but it’s fun trying! With 500 metres to go, Steve stops and waits for me and we swim in together – it’s a nice moment and I appreciate the gesture. I feel elated and honoured and once again am overwhelmed by the reception."
"When I started in London I had no idea of the fuss that would be made of this. I expected to fly under the radar, sneak into each wave and just get on with it. But behind me I had the best support team anyone could ask for – the crew of Nova International went above and beyond what was expected of them and it was them who got me to the finish line. It has been a fantastic journey and one that I will always remember. However even with the aches and pains still in my shoulders I am already questioning whether I could have gone faster; whether I could have gone for longer. And the reassuring answer is always maybe next time, maybe next time…"
29.Sep.09 | posted by: steve munatones | filed under: Events |
An 8.3-magnitude quake struck at 17:48 GMT in the American Samoa area that has, according to the BBC, resulted in at least 20 deaths there. The National Weather Service has issued a Tsunami Advisory for all coastal areas of California and Oregon.
According to the National Weather warnings, a possible Tsunami could hit the Southern Californian coast around 9:30 this evening. This wave event is should be viewed with caution. Although wave size has not been great, the surge could penetrate inland, so coastal flooding is of concern. Please note also that the Tsunami may only generate a few inches of height for the California coast, but caution is still warranted, and the National Weather and Tsunami warning center are continuing their advisories at this time. For more information, please visit the NOAA Tsunami Warning Center here for more information.
29.Sep.09 | posted by: steve munatones | filed under: History |
Burdened with political pressures on the home front, President Obama will travel to Copenhagen this week to bring the Olympic 10K Marathon Swim to Chicago for the 2016 Olympics.
The IOC vote will be aired and streamed live in America on Friday, October 2nd on Universal Sports. "President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama symbolize the hope, opportunity and inspiration that makes Chicago great. We are honored to have two of our city’s most accomplished residents leading our delegation in Copenhagen," said Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley.
President Obama will attend as will the heads of state representing Madrid, Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo. The four finalist cities' live presentations will be streamed at the following times (all times Eastern):
2:45 – 3:55 am ET (New York time) - Chicago Final Bid Presentation
4:25 – 5:45 am ET - Tokyo Final Bid Presentation
6:05 – 7:25 am ET - Rio de Janeiro Final Bid Presentation
8:45 – 9:55 am ET - Madrid Final Bid Presentation
12:30 – 1:00 pm ET - Announcement of Host City for 2016 Olympic Games
The 2016 Olympic Games host city will be announced by the International Olympic Committee in October.
What city will host the 2016 Olympic 10K Marathon Swim: Madrid, Rio de Janiero, Tokyo or Chicago? What are the bid proposals for the Olympic 10K Marathon Swim?
If Madrid wins the 2016 Olympic bid, the open water race will be held in the South Madrid/Getafe Rowing and Canoe/Kayak Channel with a spectator capacity of 14,000, only 12 kilometers away from Madrid.
If Rio de Janiero wins the 2016 Olympic bid, the open water race will be held in Copacabana Beach in the Atlantic Ocean where tens of thousands can gather to watch the athletes in a country that loves its open water swimming.
If Chicago wins the 2016 Olympic bid, the open water race will be held in Monroe Harbor in Lake Michigan with spectator seating of 22,000. With the history of successfully holding the popular Big Shoulders 5K, the Chicago bid is well-prepared on the open water swimming front.
If Tokyo wins the 2016 Olympic bid, the Olympic 10K Marathon Swim will be held in Odaiba Marine Park, a flat-water protected area in Tokyo Bay, with seating for 10,000 spectators and scenic views of incredible architecture and beautiful bridges.
One thing we know for sure: President Obama is the best body-surfer and most comfortable head of state in the open water. With the body surfing form he shows on Sandy Beach in Oahu, and his formative years as a student in Hawaii, it is our guest that President Obama can do at least a 1K in decent time.
29.Sep.09 | posted by: steve munatones | filed under: Swimmers |
Dale Petranech announced David Meca Medina as one of the newest inductees in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame this week.
David was not only the 1998, 2000 and 2005 world marathon swimming champion and a USC swimmer, but he also won 25 FINA World Cup races and was ranked number one in the 1998, 1999, 2001 and 2003 FINA World Cup circuit.
David was tirelessly competitive throughout his professional marathon swimming career, winning numerous races in his native Spain as well as in Macedonia, Egypt, Italy, Argentina, Brazil, USA, Finland, U.K., Croatia and Canada. 
At the 2000 World Open Water Swimming Championships, David won a gold in the 25K and 2 silvers in the 5K and 10K to single-handedly lead Spain to a silver-medal team finish.
In an impressive body of solo swimming work, David swam 110K (68.3 miles) from Tenerife Island to Gran Canaria Island in 23 hours and 50 minutes in 2002 and 130K (80.7 miles) from the Spanish mainland to Ibiza Island in 26 hours and 30 minutes in 2006. 
He broke the Strait of Gibraltar record by more than 40 minutes with a 2 hour 29 minute crossing in 1999 and did a 14 hour 5 minute triple crossing of the Strait of Gibraltar in 2008. He also swam fromGomera Island to Tenerife Island in the Canary Islands in 8 hours and swam the English Channel twice, in 7 hours 40 minutes in 2004 and 7 hours and 22 minutes in 2005, and swam 100K (62 miles) up the Guadalquivir River in Spain (against the current) in 2007. 
David's record has been called into question in certain circles, but to David's credit, he has invited media representatives on his solo swims and as well as representatives of the Capitania Maritima (Merchant Marine) during his solo swims in Spain.
David has combined elite world-class swimming with a sense of solo adventure and a desire to travel the world doing what he loves. Back on land, he is also accomplished as an actor and TV host in his native Spain.
All photos from the David Meca website.
29.Sep.09 | posted by: steve munatones | filed under: Training |
Eney Jones, a former top swimmer at the University of Florida (Gators) and over 20-time finalist at the USA Swimming national pool championships, is a classic crossover athlete.
Not only did she win her age-group at the 200-, 400- and 1500-meter freestyles at the 2008 US Masters Swimming national championships, but she also swam on a top Maui Channel Swim relay, won the Aumakua Swim in Maui, got third in the Waikiki Roughwater Swim and won the 2008 FINA World Masters Swimming Championship 5K in Perth, Australia. 
The personable and ever-energetic Eney now lives in the Rocky Mountains, far from the oceans where she is most comfortable, but she continues to offer open water swimming instruction.
Click here for more information.
29.Sep.09 | posted by: steve munatones | filed under: History |
Russia is currently one of the strongest countries in open water swimming with a numerous medals and victories over the last 15 years in world-class competitions.
Where did it all start?
You can point to Aleksey Akatyev (Alexei Akatiev). Aleksey was the first successful Russian marathon open water swimmer to make the transition from a world-class pool swimmer to a world-class open water swimmer.
After competing at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics in Atlanta in the 400 meters and 1500 meters where he finished 14th and 8th respectively, he ventured outdoors and truly found his niche in the open water. Within two years, Aleksey accomplished an incredible feat at the 1998 World Swimming Championships in Perth where he won the 5K and 25K races (note: the 10K had not yet been added to the FINA schedule). Aleksey won the 5K over a stellar field that included such open water stars such as Ky Hurst of Australia, Luca Baldini of Italy, David Meca of Spain, Stephane Lecat of France and Christof Wandratsch of Germany.
After winning the sprint event of open water, Aleksey then won the 25K race over another accomplished field that included David Meca and countryman (and one of the fastest English Channel swimmers of all time) Yuri Kudinov.
Aleksey later established an open water school in Russia with his coach Sergey Kustov in Russia. Aleksey continues to support the sport by serving in various roles including as a referee. 
For the current generation of outstanding Russian swimmers, including Olympic champion Larisa Ilchenko and world champion Vladimir Dyatchin, Aleksey remains an example of the first crossover athlete who transferred his talents from the pool to the open water where he reached the pinnacle of his aquatic success.
After the sudden death of his coach of 15 years, Sergei Kustov, Aleksey stepped into the role of coach and led the Russian team at world championship events in Honolulu and Fukuoka. In Honolulu at the 2000 World Open Water Swimming Championships, he not only coached the team (including 5K gold medalist Yevgeny Bezruchenko and 25K gold medalist Yuri Kudinov, but he also swam to a bronze medal in the 25K, just over a minute slower than the swimmer he was coaching. Talk about the pressures of coaching and swimming a 25K, especially in the rough water of Hawaii!
Aleksey's overall open water swimming record stands as follows:
FINA World Championships: 1994 25K bronze, 1998 5K gold, 1998 25K gold, 1998 5K team silver, 2000 25K bronze
LEN European Championships: 1995 5K gold, 1995 25K gold, 1996 5K gold, 1996 25K gold, 1999 5K silver, 1999 25K gold.
FINA World Cup Series: 1999 30K gold in Lake Ohrid (Macedonia), 2000 25K gold in Bled (Slovenia), 2000 30K bronze in Lake Ohrid (Macedonia)
Photos courtesy of Evgeni Bezruchenko.
28.Sep.09 | posted by: steve munatones | filed under: Solo Challenges |
Talk about a busy weekend...Colin Hill, the inspirational driver of the phenomenal Great Swim series as Head of Events in the Great Activity Campaign, went from organizing the Great East Swim to Dover where he then proceeded to attempt his first English Channel crossing. While many don wetsuits in the Great Swims, Colin Hill shed his and completed his swim under the traditional rules of Channel swimmers in 10 hours and 30 minutes. "I did it! But can't talk now, feel sick on boat," wrote Colin just minutes ago.
28.Sep.09 | posted by: steve munatones | filed under: Solo Challenges |
Between September 23-25, 10 swimmers completed the 30K Three Days in Three Seas marathon swim (called Shlosha Yamim BeShlosha Yamim in Hebrew) over the course of 53 hours.
The swimmers did 3 10K swims in 3 different seas on 3 consecutive days. 
On Day 1, the group, ages 24-55, swam in an aquatic peloton (pace line) and started in the north with a 10K in the Sea of Galilee. On Day 2, the group did their 10K in the Mediterranean off the coast of Tel Aviv. On Day 3, the group did a 10K in the Red Sea, from the southernmost border between Israel and Jordan to the border of Israel and Egypt.
The group took their hydration from a single escort boat as they started and finished as one. 
Organizer Gadi Katz, a media consultant and head coach of Total Immersion Israel, said, "The water was warm with temperatures ranging from mid 80's (F) for the Sea of Galilee and the Mediterranean to mid 70's (F) for the Red Sea. The swims started before sunrise at 6:00 am each day, to avoid the strong sun and high air temperatures that can exceed 100˚F."
"We swam through the calm water of the Sea of Galilee and the high rolling waves and fields of medusas in the Mediterranean. In the Red Sea, where the course began near the Israeli-Jordanian border and finished at the Israeli-Egyptian border, the group enjoyed very strong tail winds and swam over coral reefs and tropical fish."
"I am committed to enlarging Three Days in Three Seas next year. Israel is ideal for open water swimmers with ready access to open water and very warm water temperatures almost year round."
Participants in all three swims included Shlomo Amitai (55), Omer Bar (52), Ilan Barda (45), Kathy Kirmayer (45), Ely Friedman (43), Uzi Teshuva (41), Hanan Ulner (41), Avi Lagsi (39) and Gadi Katz (40). Participants in two swims included Gidi Shaprut (33), Danny Zilberstein (48) and Ron Shilon (45). Participants of one swim included Or Thiberg (24), Yaron Davidi (45), Maxim Shahaf (41) and Michael Zilberman (40).
Their time per swim was 3 hours and 50 minutes in the Sea of Galilee in 3:5 gross, 3:15 in the Mediterranean and 3:05 in the Red Sea.
Kathy Kirmayer, an American who joined the group, said, "This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The seas were beautiful and the swims were a blast. But the best part was the spirit, warmth and comaraderie of the Israeli swimmers who welcomed me with open arms and painstakingly translated every briefing and debriefing for me. They translated even when we were fueling - confirming that open water swimmers are just cool people the world over."
Photos by Yaron Weinstein.
28.Sep.09 | posted by: steve munatones | filed under: Training |
Forbes Traveler Magazine had an article on beaches with sharks. The beaches include Kosi Bay in South Africa, Shark Alley in Gansbaai, South Africa, Brisbane in Australia, California's Bolinas Beach, Florida's New Smyrna Beach, Umhlanga Rocks, KwaZulu Natal in South Africa, Oahu's North Shore, Brazil's Recife, Kahana on west Maui and West End on Grand Bahama Island.
According to Forbes Traveler Magazine, "...of the more than 400 shark species in the world, only about 30 types are known to have attacked humans. And only three have a reputation for the highest number of “unprovoked” attacks: great whites, tiger sharks, and bull sharks (the last, known as Zambezi sharks in South Africa, have earned a particularly bad reputation for their mix of aggression and ability to swim upstream into shallow freshwater rivers and inlets)."
Photo by Bruce Coleman, Inc.
27.Sep.09 | posted by: steve munatones | filed under: Races |
Flat water, good weather...and a huge turn buoy. You can't miss it, the Great East Swim in Alton Water in England. 17-year-old Tom Allen, quickly developing into one of Great Britain's next great open water swimmers and former world champion Britta Kamrau of Germany won the last of four races in the British Gas great series.
Tom outswam the field of 1,500 competitors from all over Great Britain and Europe. On the men's elite field, 7 countries were represented in the top 10 while on the women's side, 5 countries were represented in the top 10.
Tom won with plenty to spare in 16:24 over Tom Vangeneugden of Belgium in 16:38 and Danill Serebrennikov of Russia in 16:41. Britta beat the Olympic 10K Marathon Swim gold, silver and bronze medalists, swimming in 18:08 over gold medalist Larisa Ilchenko in 18:09 and 10K world champion Keri-Anne Payne in 18:11.
Julian Crabtree, who had previously started and finished with every single heat of every 1-mile swim in the 4-part series, successfully completed his venture - a total distance of 44 miles where he was pressured to make a certain each mile.
41-year-old Julian said, "It’s been tough, but I’m proud of what I have achieved and met some great people over recent weeks. It’s brilliant to see so many people involved in taking up open water swimming and maybe this could become the next big mass participation sport in the U.K."
It will be if race director Colin Hill, one of this year's World Open Water Swimming Man of the Year nominees, continues to organize and promote the sport as he has this year.
Elite Top 10 Results:
1. Britta Kamrau (GER) 18:08.13
2. Larisa Ilchenko (RUS) 18:09.52
3. Keri-Anne Payne (GBR) 18:11.36
4. Katy Whitfield (GBR) 18:18.14
5. Cassie Patten (GBR) 18:22.76
6. Silvie Rybarova (CZE) 18:34.10
7. Steffi Biller (GER) 18:53.09
8. Camilla Frediani (ITA) 18:55.52
9. Alice McCall (GBR) 18:56.49
10. Abbie Thorrington (GBR) 18:56.87
1. Tom Allen (GBR) 16:24.72
2. Tom Vangeneugden (BEL) 16:38.52
3. Daniil Serebrennikov (RUS) 16:41.84
4. Alexander Studzinski (GER) 16:43.67
5. Dave Carry (GBR) 17:12.37
6. Ross Davenport (GBR) 17:13.48
7. Jan Posmourny (CZE) 17:15.23
8. Scott Hathaway (GBR) 17:16.21
9. Mario Bonanca (POR) 17:18.48
10. Chris Bryan (IRE) 17.19.09
27.Sep.09 | posted by: steve munatones | filed under: Solo Challenges |
We wrote a nature vs. nurture story earlier this year about cold-water swim preparations: what is more important to swim well in cold water, a swimmer’s innate qualities (e.g., body fat percentage and mental toughness) or the swimmer’s training and acclimatization to cold water through hard work and commitment?
One 25-year-old former pool swimmer of slender build (170 cm, 54.4 kg or 5'-7", 120 lbs. or 8.5 stone), Laurin Weisenthal, is one example that nurture (i.e., hard training) played a very important role in her solid performance yesterday in the English Channel. Laurin, in her first major marathon swim and first try in the English Channel swam a quick 8:33. 
She said, "I had a great day: very calm, sunny, warm water. I got sliced on the rocks, but totally worth it. Karri (sister) had to practically pry me off the rock I was clinging to, I just wanted to rest so badly."
27.Sep.09 | posted by: steve munatones | filed under: Solo Challenges |
Last year, Rosalinda Hardiman was pulled only 0.7 miles from the French shore in a dramatic 25 hour 14 minute attempt of the English Channel. Paralyzed from the waist down due to polio in her childhood and needing a wheelchair, Rosalinda's initial attempt did not put a damper on her dreams.
Yesterday, in joyful news from the English Channel community, Rosalinda finally achieved her dream and successfully swam the Channel in 20 hours and 17 minutes. 
In contrast to last year when Rosalinda slipped in and out of consciousness, she reportedly swam strongly to the end. Last year, she said, "I was so nearly there. I'm devastated that I didn't complete the swim, but I was in a bad way. The boat crew left me in the water until it was clear I was no longer making any headway against the current. They are concerned about the safety of the swimmers and have years of experience. I'm bitterly disappointed, but I'm alive to swim another day."
And so she did yesterday - wonderfully, inspirationally and courageously.
Photos from The News.
