PHOTO BY CHRISSY LAMBERT/COURTESY OF CANDES AND CORIN GENTRY
Open water swimmers Candes and Corin Gentry grew up in East Honolulu with a shared love for Hawai‘i’s vast outdoor adventures from mauka (mountain) to makai (ocean), and today are known as O‘ahu’s “swimming sisters.” Amid the deep blue of the Pacific Ocean, they have together completed the 8.8-mile ʻAuʻau Channel, the 10.07-mile Pailolo Channel and the 10.31-mile Kalohi Channel.
We asked endurance athlete Candes—who is also a former Miss Hawai‘i (1999), philanthropist, recording artist, co-author of Eat Pono and mom—about their sisterly bond and how swimming and wellness are integral to their daily routine and thriving lifestyles in the islands.
Is the sister dynamic similar underwater and onshore?
Corin and I are as opposite as yin and yang, yet we get along ‘swimmingly.’ We complement each other in that she is always calm and approachable with an airy lightheartedness to her, while I am often leading the charge with a tenacious plan. We both share a love for adventure and travel and have a fierce yet fun competitive nature. My sister is what I would describe as ‘effortless effort’ while I am a ‘zealous effort.’ We are grounded in our family traditions and united by our mother, who has not only been our rock but our greatest cheerleader.
What are your top three open water swimming tips to follow?
(1) Always remain calm in the water.
(2) Swim with a buddy.
(3) Remember that Mother Nature is omnipotent, so be humble and respectful. You are a guest in her waters.
When did you realize your love of swimming in the ocean?
I am a runner by nature. I have always enjoyed the freedom and simplicity of running, which started in middle school when our mother used to run with my sister, Corin, and I into Waikiki after school. I later embraced running as an outlet and convenient way to stay fit and went on to enjoy running marathons into my 30s.
In college, I entered my first Tinman triathlon and went on to compete in others including the Kona Ironman and 4 Xterra Off Road Triathlon World Championships and became an Xterra ambassador. After receiving my MBA in 2004, I went back to running and competed in the Boston, New York and Chicago marathons as well as my yearly entry into the Honolulu Marathon, where I was awarded first kama‘aina female finisher three times.
PHOTO BY CHRISSY LAMBERT/COURTESY OF CANDES AND CORIN GENTRY
While pregnant in 2012, my sanctuary was in the ocean. My partner, Steve Shropshire and I would swim a mile a day. My love and comfort in the ocean began as a necessity to reduce my trimester swelling and discomfort and opened an entirely new world for me. During the pandemic, I moved exclusively from swimming in the pool to the ocean. Now that my son Poet is older, we spend many weekends bodyboarding, surfing, diving and snorkeling together as a family.
One of my lifelong goals is to be healthy enough to remain active throughout my lifetime. The key for me thus far has been cross-training and adaptation. Shifting between sports, adding in balance and stretching, and transitioning from a focus on speed to distance has allowed me to avoid injury and challenge myself.
How would you describe your approach to wellness?
For me, wellness is centered on balance. The foundation for my balance is three-pronged: family, friends and loved ones; work, passion and purpose; exercise, health and wellness.
What is your wellness mantra?
Face every day as if it were your last, make sure that whatever you do brings you joy, and live with passion.
Candes Gentry’s love for the ocean expands to various activities enjoyed with her son Poet and family, including bodyboarding, surfing, diving and snorkeling. PHOTO BY TOMMY PIERUCKI/COURTESY OF CANDES AND CORIN GENTRY
What are you most looking forward to this year?
Getting in the ocean every day, whether swimming with my Aumoana pod or surfing with my family. I hope that I will be able to share my love of the ocean and inspire others to explore the beauty and wonder of the sea. Protecting our natural environment is vital to its subsistence, and thus I hope that through our Eat Pono Fund at the Hawaii Community Foundation and my swim and run adventures, I can bring awareness to preserving and protecting our ‘āina.
What’s up next for you and Corin?
On Aug. 5, join us at the North Shore 5K & 10K swim from Sunset Beach to Waimea Bay, hosted by Eat Pono. northshore5kswim.com
After a daily swim, Corin Gentry’s go-to smoothie is Eat Pono’s Golden Hour. PHOTO BY CHRISSY LAMBERT/COURTESY OF CANDES AND CORIN GENTRY
Candes Gentry and her son Poet published the cookbook Eat Pono in 2021, which has inspired a movement to source local, eat nutritiously and live sustainably. Golden Hour features organic ginger and turmeric root fresh from her partner Steve Shropshire’s Aloha Green farms and is loaded with restorative vitamins and minerals as well as anti-inflammatory benefits. eatpono.org
INGREDIENTS
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup unsweetened
vanilla almond milk
1 cup ice
1 frozen banana
1 scoop plant-based vanilla
protein powder (optional)
1 tsp. organic turmeric powder
1 Tbsp. fresh ginger, grated, or
1/2 tsp. ginger powder
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 dates, peeled and pitted
TIP: Soak dates in warm water for a few minutes, then pit and peel before using in a blender.
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