Sending a message of courage and love across the seas. CHESEBOROUGH CUP `Cheseburough Cup Swin Ekiden`
	In 1889, the full-rigged ship Cheseborough from Bath, Maine, U.S.A. ran aground off the coast of Shariki. In a courageous rescue, the villagers saved a number of the crew and nursed them back to health. From this incident, a beautiful friendship began between the village of Shariki and the city of Bath. The relationship between the two communities continues to grow each year, and in 1994, we signed a sister-city agreement promising future cooperation and further exchange. An example of this exchange is the Cheseborough Cup Swim Ekiden (long distance relay). Each year, this event attracts participants from all across Japan and around the world, who join in creating many wonderful memories.
This swim relay is not only a competition between five-member teams, but an event that will take place each year until the combined distance swum by all participants equals 10,200 km., the distance between Bath and Shariki. The goal of this event is to relay a message of courage and love for humanity.@