Claudia Gardner, Gleaner Writer

LUCEA, Hanover:

Montego Bay native Derrick McIntosh registered his second hold on the Lucea Cross the Harbour swim championship trophy last Friday.

The eight-time entrant outswam 12 other contestants to emerge champion of the tournament, staged by the Hanover Chamber of Commerce, in Hanover's capital town.

McIntosh finished the one-mile race across the Lucea harbour in 22.27 minutes, ahead of Patrick Malcolm, who clocked 26.15. Brad Solarge of Lucea copped third place, the same position he held last year, with a time of 26.22.

Prizes

McIntosh claimed for himself the championship trophy, plus the first-place cash prize of $30,000 and a mobile phone, while Malcolm received $10,000. Third place finisher Solarge received $5,000 and a mobile phone. He also received an extra $5,000 cash award for being the top Hanoverian in the race.

The first-place female, Shelly-Ann Lewis, clocked 34.11 minutes and won a mobile phone for her efforts, while the junior winner, 14-year-old Junior Oshane Hall, who clocked 35.41 minutes, went home $10,000 richer.

McIntosh, who is a senior lifeguard and instructor, told The Gleaner he had intensified his training regimen, especially in the last two weeks leading up to the championship. He said he was already preparing to enter next year.

Champion lifeguards

"I am one of the champion lifeguards in Jamaica," McIntosh said, "I went through two weeks of intense training from Breezes Montego Bay to Margaritaville each day, doing between six to eight laps, which amount to more than a mile."

Last year, McIntosh clocked 22.54 minutes to complete the race ahead of fellow Montegonian Desmond Chin, who timed 30.34 minutes and third place finisher, 18-year-old Solarge, who had clocked 32.03 minutes.