COEUR d'ALENE - The CAST Classic has captured the attention of the bigs.

The second-year event sponsored by the Coeur d'Alene Area Swim Team, held at Independence Point on Lake Coeur d'Alene on Saturday, was being watched by USA Swimming as a possible site for the future national open water swimming championship.

"They're taking a good hard look if this will be the site," said Bob Wood, CAST coach. "We'd have the most elite swimmers here from all over. It's just a great location for open water swimming.

"They want to go for the scenery, and there's no better place than this."

Wood said other sites, including Florida that has had jellyfish problems on the course and California with its cold water, present issues.

On Saturday, the water was 72 degrees, perfect for such a meet, and the sun-soaked lake provided a picturesque morning.

A thrilling 10-kilometer men's race in which Coeur d'Alene 15-year-old Bryce Kananowicz nipped Seattle 19-year-old Alireza Abadi, a racer at Seattle University, only added to the excitement.

Kananowicz finished in 2 hours, 23 minutes, 48 seconds. Abadi ended 3 seconds behind. The two were seemingly stroke for stroke to the finish and cheered on loudly by onlookers.

Kananowicz has won the past three Steve Omi Memorial Open Water Swim races in Coeur d'Alene and the past two Long Bridge Swim races in Sandpoint.

Kananowicz swam the last half of the race without his goggles after they had filled with water.

"I ran into a canoe and I couldn't see well at times," he said. "I tried to have him sight for me. It was good to have someone compete with me. (Abadi) swam a strategic race. I had to give all of my effort to beat him at the end."

Kananowicz said he didn't panic without his goggles because it has happened before.

The two were close throughout the race.

"Whenever I passed him, he'd catch up," Abadi said.

Abadi said it was his first 10K race. He said he came to Coeur d'Alene due to the limited 10K races in the Northwest. Abadi said he expects the event will mushroom in the future.

Carrie Strike won the 10K women's masters division.

In other races, Annie Warner, 31, Nine Mile Falls, Wash., and Joe Wertz, 20, Richland, Wash., were overall winners in the 5K race.

William Wertz, 15, Richland, and Hannah Gonzalez, 13, Spokane, were the overall winners in the 2.5K race.

Complete results and race information were not available at press time. They are expected to be posted at www.swimcast.net today or Monday.