Anybody here do the Nanticoke River Swim last Sunday? I thought it was a pretty well run event, especially since it was only the second year.:applaud:
The turnout wasn't huge, but I think it will keep growing as a tuneup for the bay swim.
I'd love to hear what other people thought, and hear how you did - any race reports?
I've posted my race report here if anyone is interested.
Parents
Former Member
I did it for the first time this year and thought it was a perfect "test" swim for people doing the Bay for the first time. It was well-organized on dry land (the marking -- I also got the full-body treatment, over my protest, from an overly eager young man who has apparently never seen a wetsuit).
The start was as rough as any start I've done. There's a pretty narrow channel to swim down before you get to the actual course, and my impression was that the natural "faster swimmers in front" sorting did not happen this time around. I think there were lots of inexperienced swimmers in the mix. I'm relatively fast, espec at the start, and had a heck of a time getting free of the crowd of slower swimmers who seemed to be zig-zagging and swimming over each other with clenched fists all over the place.
The on-course support could be better. The problem is that the buoys are just far enough apart so that they are tough to sight quickly even when the water is flat, and with any chop (3rd leg was choppy both times around) or an errant kayaker in your way (happened repeatedly), you lost 'em. And the kayakers didn't do much to keep people in line. A friend swam half-way back toward the second buoy after rounding the third on his second lap, and never saw a kayaker. Disheartening to say the least.
Problem easily solved by putting out a few smaller mid-length buoys, and perhaps have a few more kayakers -- or at least explain to the ones out there how to herd off-course swimmers.
Highly recommended as a pre-Bay swim for those doing the bay for the first time.
I did it for the first time this year and thought it was a perfect "test" swim for people doing the Bay for the first time. It was well-organized on dry land (the marking -- I also got the full-body treatment, over my protest, from an overly eager young man who has apparently never seen a wetsuit).
The start was as rough as any start I've done. There's a pretty narrow channel to swim down before you get to the actual course, and my impression was that the natural "faster swimmers in front" sorting did not happen this time around. I think there were lots of inexperienced swimmers in the mix. I'm relatively fast, espec at the start, and had a heck of a time getting free of the crowd of slower swimmers who seemed to be zig-zagging and swimming over each other with clenched fists all over the place.
The on-course support could be better. The problem is that the buoys are just far enough apart so that they are tough to sight quickly even when the water is flat, and with any chop (3rd leg was choppy both times around) or an errant kayaker in your way (happened repeatedly), you lost 'em. And the kayakers didn't do much to keep people in line. A friend swam half-way back toward the second buoy after rounding the third on his second lap, and never saw a kayaker. Disheartening to say the least.
Problem easily solved by putting out a few smaller mid-length buoys, and perhaps have a few more kayakers -- or at least explain to the ones out there how to herd off-course swimmers.
Highly recommended as a pre-Bay swim for those doing the bay for the first time.
