Los Banos’ boy swimmer to open new Ringling Bros. production
The 9-year-old Los Banos swimmer who gained national renown after swimming to Alcatraz Island and back in June will be featured as a special guest at Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey’s new production next month.
James Savage will be a space fleet launch captain for the opening of the circus’ new space-themed production, “Out of This World,” according to circus officials. The Aug. 25 show will be at the SAP Center in San Jose.
“I think it’s kind of cool,” James said. “I’m just going to open up the new theme of the show.”
James completed a 3-mile “touch-and-go” swim from the San Francisco Aquatic Park to Alcatraz Island and back on June 14.
The swim may be counted by the Guinness World Records as the youngest person to accomplish the feat, but confirmation is still pending approval, according to James’ mother, Jillian Savage.
According to an email from circus media relations, organizers’ first reaction after hearing about James’ Alcatraz swim was to offer him the guest ringmaster spot in the circus.
However, the format of the circus drastically changed and that spot doesn’t exist anymore. So they offered James the captain position.
James will take center stage and help with the countdown to the show, and he and his family will receive special backstage VIP passes, Savage said.
“I was really surprised,” Savage said, after the circus got in contact with her about featuring James. “We had no idea what (James opening the show) would be like. We joked and teased James about it.”
According to a news release from the circus, the new production takes the audience on a story of good vs. evil in outer space as Ringmaster Johnathan Lee Iverson and circus star seeker Paulo dos Santos battle evil forces to bring the talented circus performers in the universe “back to Earth.”
The show starts in San Jose at 7 p.m. Aug. 25, and continues with several shows through Sept. 5. Tickets start at $20, with opening night special discount tickets at $15 each.
Swimming with the best
James’ recognition won’t stop with the circus. Savage said her son was invited by the organizer of the RCP Tiburon Mile to swim with some of the greatest swimmers in the world.
The Tiburon Mile, set for Sept. 11 in Tiburon, is known as one of the most competitive open swim events in the world, according to the event’s website.
The race is for ages 13 and up unless organizers extend a special invitation for special cases, as they did with James.
This story was originally published July 22, 2016 at 5:17 PM with the headline "Los Banos’ boy swimmer to open new Ringling Bros. production."