Whether this is your first or 50th open water swim, there's always something to learn. Here's some tips for a successful swim.
* Stay calm in the mass start. Bumps of arms and legs are bound to happen. If it bothers you, move to the side of the pack or sprint ahead.
* Be sure to sight! Unlike the pool, there is no black line to ensure you swim in a straight line. Don't rely too much on those around you to swim straight. Get your goggles above the water, see the target, then turn to the side to breathe. If you couldn't see the target, site again right away.
* Turns- be sure to sight more often as you get near the turn buoys (ours are orange). If you go on the wrong side, the officials will make you turn back to avoid a DQ.
* ENJOY!! Every course is a little different every day! Staying flexible is key to swimming well in the wild waters.
The average water temperature in Lake Montclair on race day is 68-72F. If conditions are similar, this race is likely to be wetsuit legal. If you don't enjoy colder temperatures, consider buying or renting a wetsuit. Learn how to put on and take care of your wetsuit from the link below.
Arm tattoos go vertically down each arm. "Shoulder" tattoos go on your race cap for easy identification. Wetsuits cover this area. Hand tattoos go on the back of each hand.
PRO TIP- skin should be clean & free of sunscreen, oils, lotions or makeup before applying tattoos.
Starting on the beautiful sandy beach in Montclair, swimmers have a beach start. Making left hand turns at each of the respective turn buoys. All races will have a 500m loop course. The 3K knockout is for swimmers 13 and Over with qualified times. It will take place in 3 stages:
1. All qualified entrants will swim 1.5K (3 loops) and the top 50% will advance to the next round.
2. The top 50% from the 1.5K will race a 1K (2 loops) and again the top 50% of that race will advance to the final round, 500m race.
3. The final swimmers will race for first in the 500m loop and the winner of this race wins the 3K knockout series.
The Splash & Dash is for ages 9 to 12 year old swimmers and a single loop swim followed by a run on the beach. The 1.K is for ages 11 and up and a double loop of 500ml course. .