Warrior Nic Swider Tames the Westmonster
Nicholas Swider, a member of the Westmont cross country and track and field teams won the sixth annual Westmonster July 17, edging out three-time champion Ricky Ho by three seconds. Jihanna Allard of Norwich, England, was the top female finisher followed by Desa Marie Mandarino of Santa Barbara.
Swider, an incoming sophomore at Westmont, graduated from San Marcos High School. He finished 26th on a 10K course at the GSAC Cross Country Championships Nov. 8 in Santa Clarita. On the track and field team he finished sixth in both the 5K and 10K at the GSAC Championships April 24-25 at Westmont.
Dubbed Santa Barbara’s toughest 5K race, the Westmonster is a fundraiser for Westmont student-athlete scholarships. The course, which climbs 284 feet, weaves through Westmont’s beautifully wooded campus in the Montecito foothills.