Over 300 swimmers from the United States and several other countries competed in an 8-mile open-water challenge Sept. 7, 2024 to raise awareness to fund restoration of an aging lighthouse off the Florida Keys. Fort Lauderdale, Florida, resident Maximiliano Paccot, 28, emerged from the Atlantic Ocean Saturday as the fastest individual swimmer at the Swim for Alligator Lighthouse with a time of 3 hours, 11 minutes and 10 seconds. Kristin Ates, 33, of Gainesville, Florida, was the top female and fourth overall finisher with a time of 3:54:14. Athletes swam to Alligator Lighthouse off Islamorada, rounded the decommissioned beacon and came back to the start/finish line at Amara Cay Resort.