ok, so this is the season for open water and many of us are fortunate enough to have lots of events to choose from but this weekend is chock full of opportunities if you are in the NY-CT area.
Friday, Sept.4
Governers Island 2 Mile
this is run by the manhattan island foundation (yup, the folks who bring you MIMS each year). its like this; you board a ferry at south street... jump off the ferry... swim around the island... get out... hang out... get back on the ferry. www.nycswim.org/.../Event.aspx
Saturday, Sept.5
Lake Quassapaug open water 3 mile, 1.5 mile, .5 mile
I recommend you do all three. The curse is .75 mile out and back (twice for the 3 mile) and there is ample time between events to fuel up for the next. An added bonus; there is a good chance you might bump into Stud there. Timex was a sponsor last year, and just about everyone walked away with an ironman sport watch. www.qsailingcenter.org/openwaterswimming.html
Sunday, Sept.6
John Daly Ocean Mile
Longbeach is beautiful and this is always a great event... easy access via the LIRR or get yourself a Zip car for the day. www.longbeachny.org/index.asp
Monday, Sept.7
Take the day off... I am. (tomorrow travelin' to dover)
so come out and play there's 8 miles of OW waiting for you
Actually the course seems pretty good to me. First, I've done the Governor Island swim--the course is on a a neat spot with views of the Brooklyn Bridge, the New York skyline and the Statute of Liberty. So its going to be great camera-wise. Better view of NYC than of Brooklyn but that's good. Its also better for spectators on a close course because you can keep track of the swimmers in a way that's much harder to do on a point to point course or longer circuit.
Doing a loop around the Island wouldn't work because they can't shut down all the island ferries for the duration of the swim.
My understanding of the OW circuit is that they need and want to have pretty precise measured courses also so having it do a 2 k loop makes it easier to keep it precise.
Its also a little more sheltered from tidal changes than swimming a similar course in the Hudson where the tidal shift would really effect the race even more. Finally, I think that 10k races like to have a tight loop course because of feedings and the need to have the start be at the same place as the finish.
The only place that I can think which would have been better would have been a course off Coney Island where you could have a 10 k double loop between Coney Island Pier and Brighton Beach. But then you would not have the NYC skyline which I think is a big part of the course selection.
Governor Island itself is a nice place to spend time and I suspect that its easier to get the use of it, then to try to cordon off part of the Manhattan shoreline for the use of the race.
These are just my impressions but it does seem like a pretty good site to me, and one that could really make an impression for contestants, spectators and media.
Actually the course seems pretty good to me. First, I've done the Governor Island swim--the course is on a a neat spot with views of the Brooklyn Bridge, the New York skyline and the Statute of Liberty. So its going to be great camera-wise. Better view of NYC than of Brooklyn but that's good. Its also better for spectators on a close course because you can keep track of the swimmers in a way that's much harder to do on a point to point course or longer circuit.
Doing a loop around the Island wouldn't work because they can't shut down all the island ferries for the duration of the swim.
My understanding of the OW circuit is that they need and want to have pretty precise measured courses also so having it do a 2 k loop makes it easier to keep it precise.
Its also a little more sheltered from tidal changes than swimming a similar course in the Hudson where the tidal shift would really effect the race even more. Finally, I think that 10k races like to have a tight loop course because of feedings and the need to have the start be at the same place as the finish.
The only place that I can think which would have been better would have been a course off Coney Island where you could have a 10 k double loop between Coney Island Pier and Brighton Beach. But then you would not have the NYC skyline which I think is a big part of the course selection.
Governor Island itself is a nice place to spend time and I suspect that its easier to get the use of it, then to try to cordon off part of the Manhattan shoreline for the use of the race.
These are just my impressions but it does seem like a pretty good site to me, and one that could really make an impression for contestants, spectators and media.
