UMBC rising sophomore Andrew McKissick won the Great Chesapeake Bay Swim (GCBS) for the second consecutive year, Sunday, June 8 near Annapolis.
McKissick completed the 4.4-mile open-water swim with a time of just under 90 minutes (1:29:35), to best the field of over 600 competitors. The time also beats his winning mark of 1:31:46 from last year.
"It was a little better the second time around," said McKissick. "I tried a little different strategy of going out strong and holding on, as opposed to building into it, and it worked."
The Mount St. Joe product was not the only Retriever in the water as McKissick's classmate Steven Rigby placed seventh in his age group and 14th overall with a time of 1:41:12. In addition, incoming freshman Alissa Caulfield was the fifth female swimmer to finish, and 32nd overall, coming ashore with a time of 1:47:22.
"We're extremely proud of our three swimmers for their effort in this challenging swim," UMBC swimming and diving head coach Chad Cradock said. "It was a beautiful day, but the water was a little rough, so for them to swim so well shows a lot.
"And for Andrew, to win the event again is clearly special for him, but for our program as a whole as well."
The 23rd edition of the race saw 606 swimmers complete the swim, which started on the western shore of the bay at Sandy Point State Park and finished on the beaches of Kent Island.