I came across this interesting article. It lists the top 50 OW swims in the US. (It will also have a top 50 list for the world). Here's the link:
Top 50 OW Swims
To the left of the article you can vote for your top 3 favorite swims! :wiggle:
JIM
Former Member
Good find. I love these lists since it opens up a whole can of worms to argue about.
I don't see having #40 in there and excluding the Bridge-to-Bridge swims and the Rainbow Channel challenge, which are in the same area and have better courses. I'd also rank the Chestertown, MD Swim for Life ahead of #40 as well.
The Lake Champlain Swim (Not really a race) should be in there somewhere also.
-LBJ
Hey Leonard-
I am swimming the Chestertown next month for the first time! :D Sounds like a good swim - what did you think?
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Good find. I love these lists since it opens up a whole can of worms to argue about.
I don't see having #40 in there and excluding the Bridge-to-Bridge swims and the Rainbow Channel challenge, which are in the same area and have better courses. I'd also rank the Chestertown, MD Swim for Life ahead of #40 as well.
The Lake Champlain Swim (Not really a race) should be in there somewhere also.
-LBJ
Leonard,
I'm not sure what is listed will be the final order. That's why they have the voting on the side. This might just be a "tentative" listing. Also, I think I saw someplace where you could suggest additions.
JIM
Hey Leonard-
I am swimming the Chestertown next month for the first time! :D Sounds like a good swim - what did you think?
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It's one of my favorite races. Very low key. The course is beautiful. Good post-race shower facilities. They also have great post-race food. The only downside is that they have occasionally not timed it optimally and that can lead to some current fighting, but even that can be fun. I've done the 5 mile race 5 or 6 times and the 2 mile once. Not sure if I'll make it this year as I am having some shoulder grumpiness and am not too fit. Still, I might go and try a shorter race.
I'm sure you will enjoy it. What race are you planning on doing?
-LBJ
It's one of my favorite races. Very low key. The course is beautiful. Good post-race shower facilities. They also have great post-race food. The only downside is that they have occasionally not timed it optimally and that can lead to some current fighting, but even that can be fun. I've done the 5 mile race 5 or 6 times and the 2 mile once. Not sure if I'll make it this year as I am having some shoulder grumpiness and am not too fit. Still, I might go and try a shorter race.
I'm sure you will enjoy it. What race are you planning on doing?
-LBJ
I originally was training for the 3 mile, but I caught cocksackie virus from one of my patients which really set me back in my training schedule - swallowing daggers for a week!! :cane: I think it's gonna be 2 miles. Sorry about the grumpy shoulder - that is certainly no fun!
Have you ever done the Provincetown Swim 4 Life in Cape Cod? It is 1.4 miles across the bay - absolutely the clearest most gorgeous water I have yet to swim in!
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Interesting, only done a couple, but I'd argue strongly against Pacific Open Water Challenge (a second year race in oily tasting water that got the mile course wrong by almost double - see my other thread) as #9.
Did it this past weekend, it's a fine event, but top 10? or even 50, given all the great OW swims in the country. I do note that the author presented a swim clinic for this race, so he might have some affinity for it.
This list was meant to stimulate discussion and create buzz in the open water swimming community. I would love to receive more information on the Washington state swims. Also, the America's Top 50 Swim list is NOT a ranking from #1-#50. It is simply a list of swims that I have done or have received great reviews from other people since I first started open water swimming in 1968. I have compiled a list of 220 swims in the U.S., but there are probably several dozens of other swims that I do not know about. The true ranking is probably best indicated by the poll results shown on the left-side of www.10Kswimmer.com.
I am currently compiling the World's Top 50 Open Water Swim list, the World's Toughest Open Water Swim list, America's Best Open Water Swimmer (male and female) lists and other lists. These additional lists will surely generate more buzz and more disagreement than the first list as the size, loyalty, history and popularity of overseas swims is generally greater (or longer) than open water swims in the U.S.*
If you have any favorite swims or swimmers, please nominate these events or individuals at www.10Kswimmer.com.
Please understand this is all for fun.
* To all those swimmers who have done the La Jolla Rough Water Swim, I do know that the swim was started in 1916 and has a longer history than most overseas swims (although not as long as a few others in Europe).
