This Sunday (September 1st), Amanda Winans will be the next open-water swimmer to attempt the Amy Hiland Swim, named for the woman who in 1959 became the first person on record to accomplish the swim between Bremerton and Alki Point. Six have done it since – from Erika Norris in September 2016 to Stephanie Zimmerman earlier this month. Northwest Open Water Swimming Association president Andrew Malinak announced the Sunday plan and tells WSB, “Amanda is yet another swimmer who has been training at Alki for the past several years, and has been a regular training partner of Stephanie Zimmerman since she began training at Alki. This will be Amanda’s first marathon swim. Amanda is a research engineer at the UW School of Oceanography, and regularly entertains us on swims by pointing out which marine invertebrates we’re swimming through.” Both Stephanie and Erika will be among the crew supporting/officiating during Amanda’s swim; Andrew will pilot the support boat.

(WSB file photo)

The sun is due back just in time for this year’s Great Cross-Sound Race, expected to bring dozens of rowers and paddlers to Alki on Saturday (August 24), along with their cheering sections. The Sound Rowers and Paddlers club organizes the race, starting at 9 am off the boardwalk, heading west to Blakely Rock off Bainbridge, and back. The top finishers are usually back within an hour (here are last year’s results).

Tomorrow morning, a swimmer who trains off Alki will be the next to tackle the Amy Hiland Swim – swimming from Bremerton to Alki Point, something seven others have done, from Hiland herself in 1959 to Stephanie Zimmerman two weeks ago. Tomorrow, Tricia Elmer plans to start at 7:30 am, according to Northwest Open Water Swimming Association president Andrew Malinak, and will likely finish about five hours later. As usual, the swim will be tracked by an escort boat and you can see the progress here. Big weekend for NOWSA – they’re celebrating a cross-Strait of Juan de Fuca swim that happened today, completed by Kim Rutherford in 10 hours, 22 minutes.

(Photo courtesy West Seattle YMCA)

The approach of fall not only means back to school, it’s back to sports for many local kids. The West Seattle YMCA (WSB sponsor) has opened soccer signups – here’s the announcement:

Get in the game this fall with Y soccer for ages 3 to 8. Kids learn the rules of the game, sharpen skills like dribbling, passing, defense and offense while learning teamwork and sportsmanship.

YMCA youth sports encourage and promote healthy kids, families, and communities by placing a priority on family involvement, healthy competition rather than rivalry, the value of participation over winning, team-building as well as individual development, a positive self-image and a sense of fair play and mutual respect for others. Parents are encouraged to be more than mere spectators, by contributing their time as volunteer coaches—as well as being their kid’s greatest fan.

For more information and/or registration, go here.

From Queen City Futsal, which launched in West Seattle a year ago:

West Seattle-ites! Queen City Futsal is gearing up for fall season and we’d love to have more players from our community!

After taking the summer off to let our players enjoy the short-lived Seattle sun, we will be returning this fall for our 4th season! In addition to the coed divisions that we’ve been offering thus far, this season we will be offering the VERY. FIRST. EVER adult women’s futsal division here in Seattle and can we just say, we cannot wait!

Games will be played Sundays at the Salvation Army gym in West Seattle.

For a little glimpse into what Queen City is all about, you can check out THIS VIDEO from one of our past seasons. We’re all about having a good time, inclusivity, and of course, playing the beautiful game. We’re focused on creating a space to help build community and to combat that infamous Seattle Freeze.

For more information and/or to register your team or as an individual, go HERE!

If you have any questions at all, we’re just a quick email away at queencityfutsalsea@gmail.com.

We’re also looking to partner/include other West Seattle businesses in our growing community, so if you’re a business owner in West Seattle, or know a business that might be interested, hit us up!

(Photo by David Hutchinson, as swimmer and escort boat approached Alki Point)

Arms raised in victory, Stephanie Zimmerman emerged from Puget Sound at Alki Point early this afternoon, a little more than four and a half hours after she went in at Bremerton, to tackle what’s known as the Amy Hiland Swim.

(This photo and next by WSB’s Patrick Sand)

Supporters crowded around with congratulations:

Then – it was time to rest. She has been training off Alki for two years, according to Northwest Open Water Swimming Association president Andrew Malinak. NOWSA’s records show that Stephanie is the sixth person to complete the swim since Amy Hiland herself in 1959 – the route went untried for decades until Erika Norris swam it in 2016; Melissa Blaustein, Lauren Boilini, and Jerome Leslie in 2017; and Rose Filer in 2018. (Stephanie and Rose were among the panelists talking about open-water swimming at an event we covered in March.)

For years, there’s been a late-summer run on Alki. Two years ago, after Northwest Hope and Healing stopped presenting the Alki Beach 5K, the Cosmo 7K moved to West Seattle. This year, the late-summer run has another big change: It’s become the Alki Beach Sunset Run, and it’ll happen five weeks from tonight, on Friday evening, September 6. That means an evening road closure on the usual 5K route from Alki Bathhouse to Anchor Park and back; we’re still waiting for the full plan, but the race FAQ says the city is requiring organizers to reopen the road by 7:30 pm, a little over an hour after the 6:20 pm start. As with the past two years’ Cosmo 7Ks, an afterparty with DJ and drinks is planned for racers. Registration is open here.

As noted here last month, Stephanie Zimmerman was set to make the Amy Hiland Swim (Bremerton to Alki Point) on July 20th, after 2 years of training, but a last-minute problem with the escort boat forced a postponement. Northwest Open Water Swimming Association president Andrew Malinak tells us the boat’s been repaired and the swim is rescheduled for this Saturday, August 3rd. With a local support crew on board – including Rose Filer, who made the swim last year – Stephanie’s scheduled to start from Bremerton at 8:30 am Saturday, and is anticipated to reach Alki Point around 2 pm. You’ll be able to check the tracking page here.

(WSB photos by Patrick Sand)

Leaping, diving, running, and throwing, the Seattle Cascades professional ultimate team was victorious in its first-ever West Seattle Stadium match tonight, 15-14 over the Melbourne (Australia) Ellipsis:

The Cascades are in blue. The mixed-roster match drew a lively crowd to the stadium:

Casey the Sasquatch, at lower left above, is the team’s mascot, whose appearances in the stands inspired one young fan (not pictured) to holler, “BIGFOOT LIVES!”

Back to the field. It was intense play. (Here are the rules, in short, as followed by the AUDL, the Cascades’ league.) We caught a bit of video:

Toward the end of the first quarter, Cascades player Peter Geertz-Larson was hurt.

He left the stadium in an ambulance after what was described as a compound shin-bone fracture. The game then resumed and the Cascades were up 9-8 at the half.

Featured at halftime, youth players from the DiscNW Tier 206 youth tour (beneficiary of tonight’s proceeds):

The second half was cut a bit short because the stadium lights weren’t coming on, and even on a clear summer night, by 9 pm, visibility wanes. Right before the game was called, we discovered a familiar face serving as the Cascades’ voice:

That’s David Bestock, known best around here as executive director of the Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association. Not only is he the Cascades’ announcer, he also is an accomplished ultimate athlete – his team won the Masters Nationals two weeks ago!

P.S. The Cascades’ regular home venue is Memorial Stadium downtown; their next match is at 6 pm August 17th.

On Wednesday, you have a rare chance to see professional ultimate in West Seattle! From the Seattle Cascades:

Come to West Seattle Stadium on July 31st and see the Cascades take on Melbourne Ellipsis from AUSTRALIA! This is a benefit game for DiscNW Tier 206 Tour, and we’ll be collecting donations at the gate: recommended $15 adult, $5 youth. 100% collected will go to DiscNW. Gates open at 6:15 pm for a 6:45 pm game.

The Seattle Cascades are a professional ultimate team that competes in the West Division of the American Ultimate Disc League. Our home stadium is Memorial Stadium, in the heart of Seattle, right under the Space Needle. Our home games run April-August on weekends.

In addition to a women’s roster and open roster (all genders), we have a mixed roster that includes a set ratio of women’s and men’s division players. We play in three Cup games in July-August, including a MUST SEE international match with Melbourne Ellipsis from Australia!

Last pro disc team to play here that we recall was the now-defunct Seattle Rainmakers, which played home games at Southwest Athletic Complex in 2013.

We’re at Alki Beach, where you have one more chance – around 2 pm – to watch outrigger canoes start a round of racing as part of the Seattle Outrigger Canoe Club‘s 2019 “Da Grind.” The club and crews have tents on the sand just east of the Alki boardwalk (which is filled with Alki Art Fair booths – separate report on that soon).

The second round of racing is out on the long course right now, and the 2 pm-ish racing will be on the short course, with awards around 3:30 pm. More photos later!

9:41 AM: The first of today’s big events is on! The Float Dodger 5K has left Hiawatha, headed down California SW on the parade route. The West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor)-presented 5K, benefiting West Seattle Helpline, was on hiatus last year, but back this year as an opening act for the West Seattle Grand Parade. After leaving the Hiawatha track, the runners “dodged” the Rotary Club “wheel” float in the street and then headed south. Awaiting them back at Hiawatha: Root-beer floats.

9:49 AM: Above, that’s our video of everyone leaving the start line. Below, runners as they arrived in The Junction:

At left, West Seattle Runner proprietors Lori McConnell and Tim McConnell ran the race in addition to presenting it:

And we can hear the announcement of the first runners arriving back at Hiawatha! Results later – plus more of the pre-race fun, including the costume contest.

ADDED SATURDAY NIGHT: Results for the 300+ timed runners are here.

For three nights later this month, incoming third through eighth graders can practice basketball skills and drills with some of the state’s best players – the West Seattle High School girls! $100 for three nights, 5:30-8 pm July 29-31. To sign up (or if you have a question), email (updated) Taylor.DarnellWSHSGB@hotmail.com and/or meedschris@yahoo.com.

(WSB photo, August 2018)

That was the scene off Alki Point last August as Rose Filer became the latest swimmer to complete the Amy Hiland Swim between Bremerton and Alki Point, named for the woman who was first to do it, 60 years ago. Northwest Open Water Swimming Association president Andrew Malinak sends word the next attempt is planned for later this month:

Our first Amy Hiland Swim (Bremerton-Alki) swim of the summer is set for Saturday, 20 July 2019, and the whole crew is local.

Stephanie Zimmerman has been training at Alki for the past two years. She will be supported from the boat by Rose Filer (31 Aug 2018) and Amanda Winans (date set for September). The swim will be officiated by Lauren Boilini (26 Aug 2017).

Splash time at the Turner Joy in Bremerton is 8:30 am; anticipated finish is 2 pm at Alki Light. Tracking will be (here).

Zimmerman and Filer were among the panelists at an event we covered back in March featuring female open-water swimmers telling their stories. If successful, Zimmerman will be the sixth to complete this swim since Hiland herself (the others are listed on the NOWSA website).

Two days, two consecutive West Seattle Little League district championships! Tonight, the 9-10-11 (11’s) won, and they’re on the way to the state tournament in Woodinville starting July 13th; the 10’s, whose district championship we reported last night, are in state competition in Gig Harbor, which starts tomorrow. Also this weekend, WSLL’s Kathy Powers tells WSB, “Our 12 year old team will compete in the District 7 tournament which will be held at our own Bar-S field starting tomorrow. We invite the community down to the field to enjoy some baseball!” Here’s the bracket; Bar-S is at 64th SW and Admiral Way on Alki Point.