For the first time in 10 years, the Apolima Strait Swim Race for 2023 was abandoned as stormy weather forced organisers to make the call and the event will now be held next year.

Swimmers Ruth Mariñosa and Samuel Muir-James had been swimming for almost five hours when the call was made. According to organiser Seti Afoa, they should have been more patient.

“If we were patient, we would be swimming today instead of yesterday and Thursday,” said Afoa in an interview with the Samoa Observer on Saturday. 

Afoa admits that they were eager to run the event to the best weather that was presented to them at the time despite having all the days reserved when they were in Samoa this week. 

Afoa said another lesson learned from the race was the possibility of consulting other sources of weather prior to the event regardless of the team already working with the Maritime Police of Samoa.

“It’s not that the information wasn’t there, the actual storm that hit - was a massive storm,” said Afoa. 

Afoa said he received a message saying the weather was bad in Apia, and half an hour after that, it was the same storm that came through.

"Those are some of the things I'd probably want to do - is just to wait for the very best weather window to run the swim," said Afoa. 

Afoa said he had been a part of previous swims that were pushed back due to bad weather conditions, but it was this time they didn't see it. 

Afoa accepted the fact that there was no other option but to abandon the swim for the safety of the swimmers and crew. 

Throughout the next six months, Afoa plans to market the Apolima Strait through different platforms such as newsletters and prominently their Facebook marketing. 

"We already have a bunch of people lining up for the next swim; it's not the kind of swim people need to think about for a year," said Afoa.

The Apolima Strait swim is already considering being held again in the late April or early May window of 2024. 

The two swimmers, Mariñosa and Muir-James are now relaxing, and according to Afoa, the swimmers will be preparing for their up-and-coming races. 

Afoa said that Mariñosa’s next race will be in New Zealand’s largest lake, Lake Taupo (42km) while Muir-James’ next swim will be at the bottom of New Zealand’s South Island, the Foveaux Strait Swim (28.6km).

The minimum quota for the Apolima Strait Swim is around three swimmers. 

"In terms of the attractiveness of the swim, it would be quite nice to go back to the days when we had 12 to 13 swimmers in the Apolima Strait Swim," said Afoa.

Having been the longest open water swim in the southern hemisphere Afoa adds that the race is deserving of more contestants to join and in due time he believes more people will compete in the race.