Categorized | Sports, Swimming

Boxing Day swim meet coming to Kona

MEDIA RELEASE

Aquatic Edge and the county Parks and Recreation will host the 1st ever Boxing Day International Invitational Short Course Yards meet Friday, Dec. 26 at Kona Community Aquatic Center. Warm up starts at 2 p.m., and the meet will begin at 3 p.m.

Competing in this event will be Masters swimmers visiting from Australia and Switzerland.

Races in all strokes and the medley will be offered in distances ranging between 50 yards and 1,650 yards. No experience is needed to participate in this fun and casual meet – beginners are welcome to attend.

A donation of $5 per swimmer per event will be accepted. Swimmers are limited to five individual events. All swimmers must be 18 or over and hold a 2008 United States Masters Swimming registration card. Swimmers who do not have a current USMS card, may register for the 2009 year at the meet for a fee of $35.

USMS rules govern the competition including the no false start rule. However, failure to act in a safe or sportsman-like manner or to cooperate with the officials may result in disqualification from the meet.

— Find out more:
Aquatic Edge
Web site: www.aquaticedge.org
E-mail: aquaticedge@hawaii.rr.com
Contact: Eric Neilsen at 331-1766.

Oh, and in case you are still scratching your head over the ‘Boxing Day’ reference:

It is a public holiday in the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand and Australia, as well as many other members of the Commonwealth of Nations and Greece. It is based on the tradition of giving gifts (and leftovers from the Christmas feast) to the less fortunate members of society and household staff, according to Wikipedia. Sort of an old-style Christmas bonus.

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