BRIDGEPORT, Conn. — For the second consecutive year, Monroe swimmer Joey Nizzardo has won the Hartford HealthCare/St. Vincent’s Swim Across the Sound.
According to Hartford HealthCare, Nizzardo swam the 15.5-mile course in six hours, 36 minutes and 56 seconds on Saturday. He dedicated the victory to family members who have lost their lives to cancer and to his grandpa, who is currently battling cancer.
On Saturday morning, nearly 200 swimmers swam across the Long Island Sound, guided by a fleet of 90 escort boats, perimeter boats and law enforcement, fire, rescue and U.S. Coast Guard boats, Hartford HealthCare said.
The 2024 Swim Across the Sound raised more than $380,000, which will benefit thousands of people who are battling cancer. The funds raised leading up to and during the event finance programs and services as well as provide monetary assistance to patients for items that insurance does not cover.
“Congratulations to Joey and all the swimmers for completing such an amazing event,” Hartford HealthCare said.
On race day, swimmers arrived at Captain’s Cove Seaport/Marina in Bridgeport and rode shuttle buses to a ferry that took them to Port Jefferson, N.Y. The swimmers then made their way to Danford’s Marina and proceeded to the start at Whitehall Beach.
Each swimmer was assigned to an escort boat by the Swim Committee. To keep swimmers safe from recreational boaters, cut-off times were implemented at designated distances; if swimmers failed to meet a cut-off time, they were disqualified.
Each boat used was equipped with GPS, radio and cell phones. EMTs and lifesaving professionals were also positioned on escort boats throughout the field, and fully staffed medical boats and underwater search and rescue teams were strategically positioned in the water.
The race finished back at Captain’s Cove Seaport/Marina in Bridgeport, where a special temporary dock was set up to act as a finish line.
On back-to-back occasions, Nizzardo has crossed that line first.
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Dalton Zbierski is a digital content producer and writer at FOX61 News. He can be reached at dzbierski@FOX61.com.
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