Stephen Adler, 18, and his sister Kim, 20, get in some ocean swimming practice at Ala Moana Beach Park in preparation for this Sunday's one-mile Summer Sprint at Sunset Beach. The two, from Hawaii Kai, are both former local high school swimming standouts.
Photos by Craig Kojima, Star-Bulletin

The wet-set siblings begin their day with a tough pool workout of an hour or more. Then it's off to their respective summer jobs, that of teaching pre-teen youngsters swimming's fundamentals.

After work, it's catching waves on a surfboard or logging more laps in the pool.

''Weekends this summer are expected to be busy, competing in ocean swims or at pool meets,'' said Kim Adler, 20, a former Punahou Schools swimming standout who now is competing for Whitman College at Walla Walla, Wash.

Kim appreciates Hawaii swimming, whether pool or ocean.

''Our pool at Whitman is indoors, 25 yards long and has only six lanes. And there is no warm ocean nearby.''

(Oahu sports several Olympic-size pools, each measuring 50 meters in length).

Stephen Adler, 18, heads this fall for Northern Arizona University at Flagstaff after a successful swimming stint at Mid Pacific Institute.

''Kim and I prefer ocean swimming to that of doing laps in a pool. There's a lot more going on in the ocean,'' Stephen said.

Many locals, including the Adlers, enjoy a Waikiki plunge and that of swimming with fish, turtles and dolphins.

Sure, jellyfish and Portuguese man-of-war give swimmers a jolt on occasion, but that's the price of paradise.

The Adlers are among those entered in Sunday's one-mile Summer Sprint at Sunset Beach. The Sprint marks the opening of the four-event North Shore Swim Series.

''Short, fast and almost always competitive,'' Kim said. ''It's my favorite, as well as Stephen's first choice.''

Of swimming's four basic strokes, the Adlers are best at the freestyle. And that's fortunate, because the freestyle is the ocean swimmer's weapon of choice.

''The technique is pretty much the same, whether swimming in the pool or in the ocean, except for one major difference,'' Stephen said.

''In the pool, swimmers follow the marked-lane-line on the bottom, and in the ocean the swimmer must lift his or her head on occasion to check navigation.''

At this year's state high school championships, Stephen placed first in 500-yard freestyle. At this season's NAIA championship, Kim, a collegiate All-American, finished among the leaders in both the 500 and 1,650 free events.

Ball sports held little interest for the Adler siblings. They either ran or swam.

''My favorite (between running and swimming)? No contest. Swimming all the way,'' Kim said.

During her Punahou swimming career, Kim was on four winning state championship girls' teams.

Unlike a foot race where the tired runner can sit at curbside to rest, an ocean swimmer must go the distance without stopping.

''Sunday's Summer Sprint and the Waimea 2000 on Aug. 4 are short events - good for qualified swimmers new to ocean racing,'' said Joe Lileikis, coordinator of the highly successful Waikiki Roughwater Swim Clinic.

But what of the three races upcoming - the North Shore Challenge on July 7, the Reverse Bay to Lani's on July 21 and the Waikiki Roughwater Swim on Sept. 2? Each event is approximately 2.4 miles in length, and all will cause fatigue for the untrained.

''Simply put,'' Lileikis said, ''the swimmer had better be well prepared to swim the course without stopping. And if conditions are bad, that requires added strength.''

The first of four free Waikiki Roughwater Swim Clinics takes place Saturday at the San Souci Beach at 8 a.m.

This class is followed by two others at San Souci - on July 27 and Aug. 10. The final meeting on Aug. 24 takes place at the Hilton Hawaiian Village beach. There is no charge.

Although the classes are designed for completion of the Labor Day Roughwater, the information gained would be beneficial regardless of ocean plunge.

''We cover every aspect of the ocean swim, from stroke fundamentals and navigation to coping with current, waves and wind,'' he said.

In 26 previous Waikiki Roughwater Swim events there never has been a drowning. ''Swimming safely is our primary goal,'' he said.

Lileikis is coach of the Rainbow Aquatics Masters Swim Club at the University of Hawaii pool. With 120 members, it's Hawaii's largest.

New ocean swimmers, Lileikis said, should be logging at least 5,000 yards a week now, working up to 15,000 yards a week by Labor Day.

Ala Moana Beach Park offers a well-marked, relatively safe, down-and-back course of 2,000 meters. By Labor Day, roughwater swimmers should be able to complete the course twice without stopping.

''Most swimmers build endurance in pool workouts, such as in our evening masters workouts,'' Lileikis said. ''A swimmer needs only an occasional ocean swim to do well.''

Lileikis, like most masters coaches, welcomes new participants.

''Hawaii offers perfect swimming opportunities - pool or ocean,'' he said.

Sunday: Summer Sprint, 9 a.m., one-mile, Sunset Beach to Ehukai Beach Park. Call 396-4227 for details.

July 7: North Shore Challenge, 2.4 miles, Ehukai Beach Park to Waimea Bay.

July 21: Reverse Bay to Lani's, 2.4 miles, Laniakea Beach to Waimea Bay.

Aug. 4: Waimea Bay 2000, a 2,000-yard swim over a triangular course within Waimea Bay. A good ocean swim for first-timers.

Races begin approximately 9 a.m. Swim applications are available at most local running, bike and triathlon stores.

Sept. 2, Labor Day Monday: 27th Waikiki Roughwater Swim starting at 9 a.m., 2.4 miles, San Souci Beach Waikiki to the Hilton Hawaiian Village Hotel Beach.

The world's biggest ocean plunge draws 1,000 or more swimmers annually. Information, 228-1350.

Saturday, July 27 and Aug. 10 at Sans Souci Beach.

Aug. 24 at the Hilton Hawaiian Village beach.

From 8-9:30 a.m., open to swimmers of all abilities and ages. Call 956-7510.