History of the Event

The roots of the Naples Island Swims event dates back over 120 years to 1903 when  the first organized swimming competition took place in Los Alamitos Bay. The event evolved to the Naples Island Swim after construction of Naples, Treasure Island and the canals completed. A photo of the 1947 event winners can be found at the Long Beach Lifeguard Association Museum.

The race distance designations, the 1 and 3 mile swims in particular, have roots well before GPS trackers and satellite image measurements could ensure precise calculation.