Reception planned for river swimmer

The city of Cape Girardeau will host a reception for Martin Strel when he arrives in Cape Girardeau around 1:30 p.m. today.

Strel, a professional marathon swimmer from Slovenia, is attempting to be the first to swim the entire Mississippi River. His trek began July 4, and he expects it to end Sept. 7 in New Orleans.

Another man, performance artist Billy Curmano, swam the river in segments between 1987 and 1997.

Strel's reception will be at the Convention and Visitors Bureau, located at 100 Broadway. Guy Haglund, a coordinator for Strel, said the exact time of arrival is unpredictable, as it depends on how fast Strel swims.

For more information, contact Tracey Glenn, public information officer, at 335-8556.