MOUNT DESERT — For the second consecutive year, Maks Grover of Ellsworth took top honors in both the 500-yard and 1.5-mile events at the 18th annual Bill Reeve Echo Lake Swim on Saturday, August 4th.

Sponsored by the James Russell Wiggins Down East Family YMCA, the event drew a field of 34 swimmers for the 500-yard swim and 42 for the 1.5-mile competition.

In the shorter event, Grover finished in 5 minutes, 52.56 seconds, with Sam Alvarado of Lamoine as runner-up in 6:05.0 and Ben Walton of Ellsworth third in 6:44.59.

The first female to finish was Britt Hulbert of Bar Harbor, who placed fifth overall in 7:46.28.

Others among the top 10 were Ty Onda of Trenton, fourth in 7:06.47; Bob Carbone of Mount Desert, sixth in 7:46.84; Cece McEachern of Ellsworth, seventh in 8:06.28; Chelsey Curran of Lamoine, eighth in 8:06.84; Ben Avery of Blue Hill, ninth in 8:07.56; and Tom Reardon of Ellsworth, 10th in 8:59.22.

Colin Aponte of Brooklin, who was the youngest swimmer of the competition at age 7, finished in 12:06.28.

In the 1.5-mile swim, Grover built a big lead and finished in 33:29.46, more than two minutes in front of Alvarado, who was runner-up again with a time of 35:50.59.

Cooper Holmes of Ellsworth was third in 36:31`.37, followed by Trent Edwards of Jupiter, Fla., in 36:58.12.

Erin Connery of Southwest Harbor was fifth overall and the first female finisher in 37:08.96.

Rounding out ther top 10 were Lainey Cohen of Ellsworth, sixth in 37:42.18; McEachern, seventh in 38:42.78; Avery, eighth in 40:07.79; Curran, ninth in 40:12.63; and Hulbert, 10th in 43:27.73.

A total of 66 swimmers competed and the race attracted a host of additional volunteers and spectators.

For more sports news, pick up a copy of The Ellsworth American.