Orange Bowl Classic Set for Jan. 7

KEY LARGO, Florida Keys, December 27. SOME of the nation's finest collegiate swimmers are to vie for honors at an Orange Bowl Festival event in Key Largo.

The 3rd Annual Orange Bowl Swimming Classic is set for 10 a.m., Saturday, Jan. 7, at the Jacobs Aquatics Center, mile marker 99.6 oceanside in Key Largo. Admission is free to watch the competition. The Classic is to be a sprint-style competition with two dozen separate swimming events.

Registered teams include Northeastern University (Boston); George Mason University (Fairfax, Va.); St. Mary's College at Notre Dame (Indiana); Washington University in St. Louis and the College of Saint Benedict in St. Joseph, Mn. The Classic is a highlight event of a month-long Orange Bowl training session for collegiate swimmers from different universities in the Keys.

"In three short years, our event has developed into a prestigious event associated with the Orange Bowl," said Dr. Jim Boilini, chair of the event and president of the Jacobs Aquatic Center. "The alliance with the Orange Bowl is not only an economic benefit, but a source of pride for Key Largo."

Other activities centered around the Classic include a Friday, Jan. 6, evening welcome buffet dinner for teams, beginning at 7 p.m. at Sundowner's Restaurant, at MM 104. A post-contest awards luncheon is to commence at the aquatic center immediately following the meet. A wide array of events are to surround the Orange Bowl Festival, including the 72nd Annual Fed Ex Orange Bowl featuring Florida State and Penn State universities and their two veteran coaches, Bobby Bowden and Joe Paterno respectively, clashing Jan. 2 at Dolphins Stadium in Miami.

For information about other Orange Bowl events, go to the Orange Bowl Committee's Web site at orangebowl.org.

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