“Swim in the Marianas” hosts 48 from China

Forty-eight swimmers from China’s Guangzhou Tianhe District Swimming Association were greeted by Saipan’s sunshine and crystal blue beaches as they took to the waters off Crowne Plaza Resort Saipan for the first-ever “Swim in the Marianas” event hosted by the Marianas Visitors Authority on Tuesday.

Over the course of their debut five-day stay, the group not only enjoyed the 3-km swim, but also visited Mañagaha, the Grotto, went on tours, and joined other activities the island had to offer.

In an interview, MVA’s managing director Jamika Taijeron said this swim event is part of the MVA’s continued push to grow sports tourism in the CNMI, and they hope it will be the first of many as they want to attract more of these athletes to the islands since the Marianas’ natural beauty is one of their biggest strengths. She explained that the partnership began during an earlier visit to China, where they met the swimming association—which has roughly 40,000 members across its groups.

She added that they also spent time talking to the swimmers about ocean care, including the types of marine animals they might see and how to protect them while swimming.

Before the swim, Taijeron welcomed the group and said, “Saipan is renowned for our beautiful nature. Some people say that we have seven colored seas and you can clearly see that today.

We hope that you are also learning about our rich history of our islands, as well as the cultures of our Chamorro and Carolinian people. And we hope you enjoy our beautiful, warm, and crystal clear waters that we have. Please know that you and your families are always welcome.”

Crowne Plaza’s recreation and security manager Caleb Leung also extended a welcome, saying it was an honor to host the swimmers during their first visit to Saipan. He said the team was excited to see them take on “the beauty and challenge” of the ocean swim and reminded them that safety was the resort’s top priority. Leung said he hoped the experience would become a memorable highlight of their trip and that each swimmer would take “a piece of Saipan” with them when they leave.

The event was supported by partner agencies including the Department of Public Safety, the U.S. Coast Guard Saipan Office, 500 Sails, Saipan Swim Club, and others.