2025 Event Recaps

Here’s some brief reports from the various Semana Nautica sporting events that are on the 2025 festival schedule…

Warkentin, Holman win Semana Nautica 3-Mile Swim

Noah Warkentin added to his Semana Nautica trophy case with a repeat title in the 3-Mile Swim. His winning time was 1:01.59. Myles Peck wasn’t far behind finishing second in 1:02.10. Alan Peterson was third overall (1:03.13).

Hannah Holman was the women’s champion with a time of 1:08.51. The previous day, Holman won the 18-39 age-group and placed 8th overall in the 2-Mile Swim. Paula Dooley and Alethea Butler-Nalin filled out the women’s Top 3.

Martilla becomes repeat winner in 2-Mile Swim, Nackers wins women’s race

Connor Martilla won the Semana Nautica 2-Mile Swim for the second year in a row, registering a time of 40 minutes and 25 seconds. Myles Peck and Kyle Brill came in second and third, respectively. Grace Nackers won the women’s race with a time of 44:54 after the leader, Wendy Zeiss, made a premature turn towards the beach and missed the final buoy turn, resulting in an unfortunate disqualification.

Eighty-seven swimmers completed the course.

Reef & Run helps decide Ocean Swimmer of the Year honors

Santa Barbara’s favorite ocean-swimming event makes two turns each year on the Semana Nautica festival schedule. While Reef & Run has three different race distances to choose from each week, the results from the 1-Mile race are included in Semana Nautica’s Ocean Swimmer of the Year Point Series.

Among the top finishers at Reef & Run are all the contenders for Ocean Swimmer of the Year. Kyle Brill won the 1-Mile race on July 3, while Connor Martilla earned the top spot on July 10. For the women, Hannah Holman and Grace Nackers alternated in the top two spots both weeks, each beating the other once.

The Ocean Swimmer of the Year will be decided at the festival’s final event, the Semana Nautica 6-Mile Swim on Sunday, July 13.

CBVA Santa Barbara Open

Beach volleyball was center stage in front of the Cabrillo Bathhouse for 4th of July weekend. In the Men’s Open, Kyle Baily and Cole Aidnik edged Dylan Foreman and Troy Fitzgerald, 28-25 in the championship match. In the Women’s Open final, Erin Inskeep and Clara Stowell defeated Katie Spieler and Torrey Van Winden, 28-22.

Read a detailed tournament report HERE from Noozhawk.

Visin, Swalec claim Stud Ironman titles

Kyle Visin edged Cuyler Gabriel and Jason Smith to win this year’s Stud Ironman competition at East Beach. Visin emerged from the final swim leg just ahead of the others and finished with a time of 37:30.

Caitlin Swalec paced the women’s field and was eighth overall. Last year’s women’s winner, Whitney Bruice, placed ninth overall.

The stud ironman format tests peak fitness by alternating buoy swim laps and beach sprints, totaling nine legs.

St. Jean, McToldridge, Fitzgibbons lead the way at Semana Nautica 4th of July Trail Races

Chris St. Jean and Michelle McToldridge set the pace on the 4th of July, winning the 5K Trail Run at Elings Park. Twelve-year-old Robbie Fitzgibbons won the 2K race in a time of 8:09.8.

Almost 200 runners came out to compete at the Santa Barbara Running Association event, which was a Grand Prix race.

Boecker, Daschian win Half Marathon at Goleta Beach Runs

Hundreds of runners showed up for Goleta Beach Runs, enjoying the beautiful course with distances of Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, and 1-Mile.

Under sunny skies, Jasper Boecker (25, Atlanta)was fastest on the flat half-marathon course with a time of 1:26.38. Miranda Daschian (28, Morro Bay) was the top female and 4th overall with a time of 1:32.44.

Evan Moore (42, Santa Barbara - 38:35) and Michelle Haynes (60, Arroyo Grande - 47:55) earned 1st place in the 10K while Aaron Allbritton (40, San Leandro - 16:50) and Hannah Buechner (27, Los Osos - 22:29) were tops in the 5K.

National Record set at SB Masters Swim Meet

The Santa Barbara Masters Swim Team launched the 2025 Semana Nautica festivities in style this past Saturday at Los Baños del Mar Pool, shattering a USMS National Record in the 400 LCM Mixed Medley Relay (100-119 Age Group, 25-29).

 The record-setting relay team featured Joanna Tang (backstroke), Connor Martilla (breaststroke), Kevin Mendoza (butterfly), and Tiffany Ball (freestyle). 

Menichella, Khatamova win SB Open singles titles

The 88th Santa Barbara Open was held at tennis courts at five different local locations. The USTA-sanctioned tournament included various divisions competed for at a high level.

Stefan Menichella and Shakhnoza Khatamova were crowned open singles champions. Menichella defeated Adam Large 6-1, 7-5 while Khatamova beat Marie Weissheim 6-4, 7-6 (8-6). Each final had a $2,400 prize purse, with Menichella and Khatamova each winning $1,700.

In doubles, the top-seeded team of Mathew Berry and Ryder Jackson held off Garrett Patton and Brendan McClain in the final 6-3, 7-6 (8-6). Lucy Lu and Weissheim won the women’s open doubles title, defeating Nicole Buist and Caitlyn Buist 6-1, 6-1.  

MORE EVENTS TO COME - SEE SEMANA NAUTICA EVENT CALENDAR