670 contestants participated in today's Big Shoulders 2.5K and 5k Open Water Long Distance Swim Classic in Lake Michigan. Water temperature was a balmy 72 degrees. Sunny skies produced air temperatures in the mid-seventies.
As usual, Chicago Masters did a super job of organizing this event. Results were available very promptly at the conclusion - love that electronic timing! If past performance is any guide, they'll be posting the results for your viewing pleasure at www.bigshoulders.org in a very timely fashion.
This is a challenging and fun event and worth of consideration by any serious OW swimmer even when it isn't the national championship.
Thank you Chicago Masters for a job well done!
Sorry, knelson, that the slow swimmers annoy you so much.
Why would you say something like this? I never said the slower swimmers annoyed me. What annoyed me is waiting two hours after I was done swimming for the awards. I think it's great that everyone who finished finished. Would their achievement somehow be lessened if awards were given out while they were still in the water?
I guess one solution would be to send off the swimmers by estimated finish time and have the slower swimmers start first. This would reduce the total time of the event, but would require the later waves to pass more people. But as the director said in the pre-race speech "it's a big lake." There's plenty of room out there to pass one another.
But, sorry, I don't want to ruin this thread. I love the event and that's why I've swum it now four times. I'm just offering suggestions for how I think it could be improved. I don't expect everyone to agree.
Sorry, knelson, that the slow swimmers annoy you so much.
Why would you say something like this? I never said the slower swimmers annoyed me. What annoyed me is waiting two hours after I was done swimming for the awards. I think it's great that everyone who finished finished. Would their achievement somehow be lessened if awards were given out while they were still in the water?
I guess one solution would be to send off the swimmers by estimated finish time and have the slower swimmers start first. This would reduce the total time of the event, but would require the later waves to pass more people. But as the director said in the pre-race speech "it's a big lake." There's plenty of room out there to pass one another.
But, sorry, I don't want to ruin this thread. I love the event and that's why I've swum it now four times. I'm just offering suggestions for how I think it could be improved. I don't expect everyone to agree.
