LA JOLLA, Calif. -- A new world record for open water relay swimming was set in San Diego on Monday by six Ventura County men when they swam into La Jolla Cove after more than four days in the ocean.
The six men, who call themselves the Ventura Deep Six, exceeded the existing record by more than 100 miles.
Onlookers at La Jolla Cove watched in anticipation as the ship escorting the relay team came into view with one lone swimmer, 42-year-old Jim Nietz, leading the way.
As Nietz neared La Jolla Cove, his five teammates jumped in the water for the final victory leg. As they made their way to the shore, they celebrated together.
"It was really all about doing it together and we knew we could do it," said Nietz. "There was a lot of stuff going on out there. A lot of time, the captain wanted to call and say we're going in, but we stuck together and said we're going to do it, [and] we did."
The journey of the Ventura Deep Six began at Ventura Harbor on Thursday morning. They swam north to Santa Barbara where by Friday night they broke the 78-mile record. Then, they headed south towards La Jolla to swim a total of 202 miles.
"None of us was going to let each other down," said John Chung, another member of the Ventura Deep Six team. "Even when it was really, really cold, we're just going to muscle throw it and we did... no wetsuits."
"I had fish that actually drew blood on my feet because they were nibbling on you," said Jim McConica, another member of the swim team.
The journey was chronicled through videos posted on the group's growing Facebook fan page. They swam around the clock in one-hour shifts.
"[There was] the lack of sleep, but you get five hours off, [and] in the five hours, you have to eat and get in and out of your swim suit," said McConica. "I averaged about one hour of sleep in between each leg."
The team members said there was no reason why they shouldn't do it, and Neitz said he did it for his children.
"To show these guys you can do anything you want to do," said Nietz.
The six men, who call themselves the Ventura Deep Six, exceeded the existing record by more than 100 miles.
Onlookers at La Jolla Cove watched in anticipation as the ship escorting the relay team came into view with one lone swimmer, 42-year-old Jim Nietz, leading the way.
As Nietz neared La Jolla Cove, his five teammates jumped in the water for the final victory leg. As they made their way to the shore, they celebrated together.
"It was really all about doing it together and we knew we could do it," said Nietz. "There was a lot of stuff going on out there. A lot of time, the captain wanted to call and say we're going in, but we stuck together and said we're going to do it, [and] we did."
The journey of the Ventura Deep Six began at Ventura Harbor on Thursday morning. They swam north to Santa Barbara where by Friday night they broke the 78-mile record. Then, they headed south towards La Jolla to swim a total of 202 miles.
"None of us was going to let each other down," said John Chung, another member of the Ventura Deep Six team. "Even when it was really, really cold, we're just going to muscle throw it and we did... no wetsuits."
"I had fish that actually drew blood on my feet because they were nibbling on you," said Jim McConica, another member of the swim team.
The journey was chronicled through videos posted on the group's growing Facebook fan page. They swam around the clock in one-hour shifts.
"[There was] the lack of sleep, but you get five hours off, [and] in the five hours, you have to eat and get in and out of your swim suit," said McConica. "I averaged about one hour of sleep in between each leg."
The team members said there was no reason why they shouldn't do it, and Neitz said he did it for his children.
"To show these guys you can do anything you want to do," said Nietz.
