Caroline Huber, 18, of North Kingstown, is congratulated by Save The Bay board member Cindy Butler after the 1.7-mile swim. Huber finished ahead of all other women. Photo courtesy of Save the Bay

With ideal conditions, 413 swimmers yesterday took part in the 32nd annual Citizens Bank/Save The Bay Swim, slicing through calm waters over the 1.7-mile course from Newport to Jamestown.

The event was expected to provide Save The Bay, a nonprofit organization, with more than $250,000 in pledges and sponsorships, eclipsing last year’s fundraising total.

Proceeds pay for Save The Bay’s efforts to protect Narragansett Bay and its watershed, including environmental lobbying at the State House and in Washington, D.C., habitat restoration efforts such as eelgrass transplants, and education programs in Rhode Island and Massachusetts schools.

Last year, swimmers battled wind and waves, but this year “the water was very calm — like a mirror,” said John Martin, Save the Bay’s director of marketing and communications. “I understand we got everybody across — the whole field — faster than ever before.”

Mike Lane, 38, of East Providence, was the first finisher, with a time of 36 minutes, 10 seconds. Caroline Huber, 18, of North Kingstown, had the fastest women’s time at 38:08.

Swimmers Edgar Mercado, of North Kingstown, and Walter Moskwa, of Poolsville, Md., took part in their 30th swims. U.S. Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy, a Democrat in the state’s 1st Congressional District, who has taken part in the event in the past, did not swim this year, but Mark Zaccaria, a Republican seeking the 2nd Congressional District seat, did participate, finishing in 1:20:11.

Swimmers ranged in age from 15 to 81-year-old Winthrop “Win” Wilson, of South Kingstown. And the participants came from states ranging from Hawaii to Maine.

“We have steadily seen younger and younger swimmers participating in the swim, and the swim is expanding beyond New England” as it becomes known as “one of the top open-water swims in the country,” Martin said.

The top 25 finishers were:

1. Mike Lane, of East Providence: 36 minutes 10 seconds

2. Matt Gilson, of East Providence: 36:48

3. Charles Lydecker, of Ormond Beach, Fla.: 37:37

4. Jason Eaddy, of Watertown, Mass.: 37:44

5. Caroline Huber, of North Kingstown: 38:08

6. Luther Blount, of Warren: 39:02

7. David Polatty, of Narragansett: 39:06

8. Ray Gandy, of Coventry: 39:07

9. Ron Gillooly, of Stow, Mass.: 39:10

10. Brittany Olerio, of North Kingstown: 39:12

11. Emily Hammang, of Barrington: 39:13

12. Thomas Gleason, of Middletown: 39:34

13. Meredith Gilson, of Falmouth, Mass.: 39:55

14. Jonathan Dell, of Bristol: 40:18

15. Betsy McLaughlin, of Warwick: 40:28

16. Antonia La Bella, of Warwick: 41:25

17. Timothy Mahar, of Bristol: 41:42

18. Brian Mulford, of East Greenwich: 41:53

19. David Judelson, of Winchester, Mass.,: 42:26

20. George McDonough, of Bath, Maine: 42:37

21. Joshua Sroka, of South Kingstown: 42:42

22. Richard Mack, of Bristol: 42:52

23. Mitch Turner, of Middletown: 42:55

24. Jerome Cummiskey, of Providence: 43:30

25. Shawn Connell-Clarkson, of Portsmouth: 43:44

efitzpat@projo.com