CNN Philippines and several other sources are reporting that a Chinese swimmer drowned on Friday in the open water race known as the International Cross Harbor Race.
The event is hosted by the province of Ilocos Norte in the northwestern corner of Luzon Island, in close proximity to China, and transpires over two days. The first leg of the race took place along the coast of Currimao, while the second was off the beaches of Pagudpud the next day.
It was in Pagudpud on Friday that Tan Xian Guang, 55, a member of the Tianhe Swimming Association from Guangdong, China, was found floating by the race marshals. Witnesses told the media that Tan suffered cardiac arrest while competing.
The Cross Harbor Race, which was first held in 1906, is popular among Chinese tourists. This year it attracted over 100 participants from Guangzhou; they came by a chartered China Eastern Airlines flight and spent two days at the Fort Ilocandia Resort Hotel in Laoag City, according to Xavier Ruiz of the Provincial Tourism Office.
The Cross Harbor Race is a physically challenging open water race, and this year’s event featured “huge waves and strong water current” according to CNN.