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Jake Dog-Athlete
Successfully Swims from Alcatraz to San Francisco Bay.
With a stomach full of
scrambled eggs, Jake dog-paddled his way into history. Jake, a four-year-old golden retriever, swims from
Alcatraz towards San Francisco with his owner, Jeff Pokonosky of San Diego during the 10th Annual South End
Rowing Club Alcatraz Invitational on Saturday, July 30. Jake made history swimming in a time of 41:45, placing
72nd out of 500 swimmers.
He was the only dog among
more than 500 swimmers who leapt into the chilly, choppy waters. The crowd cheered as Jake made his way onto
solid ground. "It was colder and rougher than we thought it would be," said Jeff Pokonosky, "Jake amazed me. He
was very focused. He started out really fast. He increased his pace to stay with the pack.
Spectators tracked Jake's
progress from the Rock to San Francisco Bay by signing up for free up-to-the-minute text message updates on their
mobile phone by WiggleWireless. For every supporter who signed up to track Jake's progress WiggleWireless donated
$1 to the Guide Dogs for the Blind.
About WiggleWireless
| What
People are saying about Jake |
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Jake's Owner:
“Jake is
more than ready to conquer the challenge. It's been important in my life to train with Jake. He is truly
committed to our swims and is one of the best training partners I've ever had. He never calls to say he can't
make it…” |
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Lynne Cox, author of “Swimming to Antarctica”::
“Whether
you're human or dog it takes a lot of physical and mental preparation to race in this Alcatraz event, and it's
really important that both prepare for the swim,” said Cox. |
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Tom Grady, Masters Swimmer and Jake's Swim Mate: (1:25):
“Jake has
elevated his game to a whole new level… I can't keep up with him”
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Jake's Mental Preparation (1:00):
To show
his great mental preparation and discipline in the face of temptation, Jake can even balance a cheeseburger on
his nose.
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Interview with Jake's Swim Coach, Joe Benjamin, Aquatics Director: (1:30):
Though a
number of coaches have encouraged a side-to-side hip rotation and alternate breathing stroke techniques, Jake
insists on using his tried-and-true dog paddle.
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Video Interview: John Duke, CEO, Triathlete magazine (1:30):
“It's not
often that you see a furry friend of ours try something that is quite so challenging”
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Jake's Beach Training (1:45):
Jake, who
stands 2'1” tall with 65 pounds of sheer muscle, has a training schedule of two, two-mile ocean swims per week
and an hour of leg training and ball work five days a week
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Video Interview: Greg Welch, IronmanLive:
“Jake
thinks he might be a target for the sharks”
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President/CEO, Guide Dogs for the Blind, Bob Phillips::
“We are
honored to be selected as Jake's charity of choice and are certainly excited about the support and awareness his
swim is bringing to our organization.”
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Bill Wygant, President, South End Rowing Club:
“We
decided to waive the entry fee for Jake, particularly since he's racing for such a good cause, though his offer
to pay in tennis balls was more than generous.
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