The Cupertino Courier

Cupertino swimmers escape from 'The Rock'

By Dick Sparrer

For more than 30 years, prisoners tried in vain to escape from Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary.

No one ever could.

But this summer, there was a mass escape from the "The Rock" when 343 swimmers braved the icy waters of San Francisco Bay in the fifth annual Alcatraz Sharkfest Swim.

The swimmers splashed their way the 1.5 miles from Alcatraz Island to San Francisco's Aquatic Park in the annual event sponsored by Enviro Sports.

Of course, many of the residents of "The Rock" from 1934 to 1963 would have killed (some of them literally!) for one of the wetsuits worn by the Sharkfest competitors. But the fact that they were wearing cold-water suits doesn't diminish the accomplishments of the athletes in the field.

Eight area swimmers were among the top 50 finishers in that field, with Scott Zavack of Los Gatos earning a place in the top 20, finishing 18th in 34:51.

Alex MacDonell of San Jose was 23rd in 35:19, with Troy Soares of Sunnyvale 28th in 35:30, David Dahl of Cupertino 32nd in 35:45, Ed Strachar of Cupertino 33rd in 35:47, Cameron Lawrence of San Jose 41st in 36:38, Pat Edsall of Los Gatos 46th in 37:21 and Grant Palmer of Cupertino 49th in 37:41. Scott Heider of Sunnyvale was close behind in 51st in 37:48.

Randall Eickhoff of Los Angeles won the race in 29:28, with Brad Hibbard of Santa Barbara second in 30:38.

Other Cupertino finishers included Flint Pulskamp (159th) and Huy Nguyen (323).

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