ISLAMORADA, Florida Keys, September 22. More than 300 athletes competed in an eight-mile open-water swim Saturday in the Florida Keys.
\nThe second annual Swim for Alligator Lighthouse was staged as a college scholarship fundraiser for Keys students interested in competitive swimming, but also to raise awareness of a need to preserve Alligator Reef Lighthouse and five other aging lighthouses off the Keys.<\/p>\n

The structures are more than 150 years old and the harsh marine environment is taking its toll on them.<\/p>\n

The event was conceived by Islamorada resident Larry Herlth, an artist whose metal sculptures and scaled replicas of Keys lighthouses symbolize his passion to preserve the historic beacons.<\/p>\n

Yoelvis Pedraza of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., won overall honors, turning in the fastest time of 3 hours, 35 minutes and 5 seconds.<\/p>\n

Julie Salvetti of Venice, Fla, won the overall women’s title at 4:51:48<\/p>\n

Miamians Jack Ellis, Henry Urquidi, Nicki Urquidi and Brooke Ellis won the four-person relay division with a time of 4:02:53. Cooper City, Fla., residents Can Datca and Tyler Magarity won the two-person division with 4:47:46.<\/p>\n

Virginia residents Nicole Johnson and Jeremy Linn, both from Manassas, placed second in the two-person division, but had an even more eventful swim. Reaching the halfway mark at Alligator Lighthouse, Johnson accepted Linn’s marriage proposal.<\/p>\n

Race director Jonathan Strauss reported that 310 entrants competed in the race.<\/p>\n