Mike Camilli of Marquette approaches the finish line on the Negaunee shore during the 16th annual Swim Teal Lake for Diabetes on Saturday, July 27, 2019. Camilli finished ninth in the male division with a time of 1:05:27. (Journal photo by Ryan Spitza)

By RYAN SPITZA

Journal Sports Writer

NEGAUNEE — It’s probably safe to say Colin VanderSchaaf has a bright swimming career ahead.

At just 14 years old and in his third attempt, the Marquette native claimed his second consecutive victory in the 16th annual Swim Teal Lake for Diabetes event to benefit the Upper Peninsula Diabetes Outreach Network on Saturday morning.

VanderSchaaf was the first to finish the full 2 1/4-mile race from Ishpeming to Negaunee in 42 minutes, 35 seconds.

VanderSchaaf topped his time from last year’s race by nearly five minutes, when he won in 47:15.

Gusty winds likely helped with speed, and with those winds blowing from the west against the usual course, race officials made a last-minute switch in the course.

Instead of the traditional start on the Negaunee city shore with a finish at Al Quaal Recreation Area in Ishpeming, organizers reversed the course to ensure competitors remained safe in the conditions and wouldn’t have to fight the brisk wind.

VanderSchaaf said he only had struggles when he encountered a wavy final furlong.

“The last little bay was really wavy,” he said. “You could really feel it. I was also just really tired from swimming that far.

“It was good, though. I’m pretty happy.”

Marquette’s Paige Whaley, 17, was second overall and the female champion in 44:43, just over two minute behind VanderSchaaf. Erin VanderSchaaf, last year’s top female finisher and fourth overall, came home second in the female division and third overall this year in 45:31.

This is Whaley’s first win in the event in six tries, and despite the reversed start and finish lines, the wind didn’t affect her all that much until the end.

“It was good,” she said. “It was different because I’ve never gone in this direction before. It was pretty normal in the beginning, but at the end the waves were pushing me so that was good.”

An estimated 80 swimmers competed in the event, according to race organizer Kristen Cambensy.

“With everything that happened with reversing the swim, we were pretty happy with that,” she said.

While the swimmers were there to compete, it was all for a good cause, raising awareness for diabetes and supporting the UPDON.

“UPDON does a lot of stuff throughout the entire U.P. with Type 2 diabetes and Type 1 diabetes,” said Cambensy, who is also office manager at UPDON. “The money raised from this event will go toward diabetes prevention classes, Diabetes PATH (Personal Action Toward Health) classes, and we’re also doing a Type 1 diabetes summit in November. We’re having Olympic swimmer (and Type 1 diabetic) Gary Hall Jr. come to that.

“All the money raised is going to go toward helping with those programs.”

Nothing is final yet, but Cambensy is confident the race raised at least $10,000 for UPDON. The Western Marquette County Health Foundation will also match the final total.

Sault Ste. Marie’s Andrew Innerebner was second on the male side in 46:31, while Houghton’s Archer Olson rounded out the podium in third at 51:18. Rapid River’s Jon Miller finished fourth with Houghton’s David Olson fifth.

Mike Camilli was ninth in the male division in 1:05:27 and second in his age group.

Camilli agreed with the sentiments of other racers about the waves toward the end of the race, and was happy to take part in an event that might seem like a rarity here in the U.P.

“The water was a perfect temperature and toward the end of the race the waves really started pushing you around,” Camilli said. “It’s good that they switched the course to come (east) with the waves, it made for some excitement in an open-water swim.

“The support crew was great. It’s nice that they put this event on, because we’ve got a lot of water here in the Upper Peninsula, and there aren’t too many events here like this.”

Behind Whaley and Erin VanderSchaaf in the female group was Marquette’s Lexi LaCombe in 48:32. Fellow Marquette swimmer Delaney Marchiol was fourth in 50:10 while Diandra Markiewicz of Pound, Wisconsin, fifth.

A quarter-mile Short-n-Sweet event also took place that was open to all ages, while the 2 1/4-mile swim also had a Beginners division that started a half hour prior to the competitive division. Full results of those races weren’t immediately available.

Results can be viewed online at www.superiortiming.com. For more information on UPDON, visit www.upcap.org. For more information on the Western Marquette County Health Foundation, visit www.wmqtcountyhealthfoundation.org.

Email Ryan Spitza at sports@miningjournal.net.