Pacific Open Water Challenge - Am I expecting too much?
Former Member
I did the POW in 2008 when it was by the Belmont Pier in Long Beach. It was a funky, fun community event. Had various events - 1 mile swim, 5K swim, aquathlon, stand alone 5K, even a doggy dash swim/run, which was tons of fun to watch
Couldn't do it last year at the new venue due to illness, but heard they still had the aquathlon, cool shirts, etc.
Returned this year. It's now associated with the 5K and 10K national championships, which is quite cool as it ups the event's profile. The venue is nice (and water doesn't smell as bad as the Belmont pier area). But I have to say I was disappointed, and not sure if I am being petty?
Spent $35 for entry (buddy spent $40 on the beach). No swim cap. No T Shirt. No announcing at the end. No awards that I could make out. I exited the water about 1:05, about mid pack of the 4Kers, and they were breaking down barriers. Someone asked to look at my number and disappeared. No race clock. No post race water. It was kinda like, get out of the water, thanks for coming, towel off and leave. Like I spent $35 just to swim their laid-out course. Is it just an extra way to make money since the course is already set up for the pros? I could have swum in Manhattan Beach for free that morning.
OK, it's not like I need any of this stuff. I have a sack full of race caps at home, but I'll wear them for OW swims. I do like wearing race t shirts even though I have more cotton race shirts than I can shake a stick at. But a cool race shirt will make the cut, and I heard they were good last year. (even Naples Island has this stuff, and it's cheaper). I'm not a top swimmer so not taking home medals. But it is a race, and it should have a race or community environment, like it did in 2008.
There also seemed to be a scheduling issue. Website said 4K started at 1:45. Got there and was told it started at 1:30. Luckily, we were a bit early. Afterwards, as I was drying off, some guy asked me what I swam, and when I said the 4K, he said "I thought that started at 3???" Apparently a number of guys were waiting to swim the 4K while it was going on (this was not confirmed though). Granted, that is on them as far as I could tell, but the schedule was getting shifted some.
The only good thing about this event is that you are certain it's accurately measured so it can be a benchmark for future swims. But as an event/race? That aspect was completely non-existent. I cannot say for sure I'd go back and do this race
I appreciate that maybe it's really all about the serious 5K/10K swimmers now, which is cool, but we pay to enter as well. Maybe there simply weren't enough entrants to warrant a cap/shirt/medals. There certainly were in 2008, so maybe they need to expand the focus. Or not. I know Steven Munatones pops in here now and again so maybe he can comment.
Parents
Former Member
Steven - Thanks for the reply. I wouldn't think of asking you for the race fee back. I have a good friend that runs the Redondo tri and I know what goes into making an event work (and I didn't mean to imply you were milking this to make a ton of dough, I know that's not how it works).
My only quibble is that the pre race clinics (which I had planned to attend but schedules didn't permit it) cost more to go to. I guess you should tell Gerry to stop offering his advice for free at Tower 26, that would probably get more people to go :)
Anyway, hope you don't feel my point was to slag you or the race. I'd love to see more OW races, and I know we've lost a lot due to liability concerns and lifeguard costs. For the record, the guy I came with said he had no problem coming back and doing the race again (although he said he could use a new race shirt :) ). And I just missed the water.
My thoughts:
Return to the multi format with 5K, aquathlon, etc. (even the doggy dash). That may not work if you want it to be more of an elite event centered around the 5/10K. But it would seem to bring in more people (I think the Playa del Run events do pretty well).
Perhaps not call the swim a "pursuit," even if that's what other countries call it. Honestly, I was a bit confused as to what it meant. If you do it again, I think just calling it a 2K or 4K swim is sufficient. Maybe some people were turned off by that, I don't know.
Revamp the website - It was pretty confusing to navigate through that site. Needs to be simpler, and focus on that race, not OW swimming in general and different events as a whole (that's what your site is for)
Moving an event later is fine due to delay, but moving an event sooner isn't a great option.
I understand an appreciate the desire to swim with the Special Olympian, but an RD (I am assuming you're the RD, apologies if you aren't) should be on the deck all the time, to deal with things like the announcer
For post race stuff like water, have someone at the finish chute to direct swimmers to the swimmers tent (I wasn't aware there was one).
These are just my thoughts, and again, I wouldn't dream of asking for the event entry fee back. You provided a safe, well marked, and (unfortunately for my finish time) accurate course ( I swam the infamous 1.5 mile "1 mile" course in 2008, or whatever it actually was). The rest is just the "fringe benefits" we middle aged AGers look for in races.
Chris
Steven - Thanks for the reply. I wouldn't think of asking you for the race fee back. I have a good friend that runs the Redondo tri and I know what goes into making an event work (and I didn't mean to imply you were milking this to make a ton of dough, I know that's not how it works).
My only quibble is that the pre race clinics (which I had planned to attend but schedules didn't permit it) cost more to go to. I guess you should tell Gerry to stop offering his advice for free at Tower 26, that would probably get more people to go :)
Anyway, hope you don't feel my point was to slag you or the race. I'd love to see more OW races, and I know we've lost a lot due to liability concerns and lifeguard costs. For the record, the guy I came with said he had no problem coming back and doing the race again (although he said he could use a new race shirt :) ). And I just missed the water.
My thoughts:
Return to the multi format with 5K, aquathlon, etc. (even the doggy dash). That may not work if you want it to be more of an elite event centered around the 5/10K. But it would seem to bring in more people (I think the Playa del Run events do pretty well).
Perhaps not call the swim a "pursuit," even if that's what other countries call it. Honestly, I was a bit confused as to what it meant. If you do it again, I think just calling it a 2K or 4K swim is sufficient. Maybe some people were turned off by that, I don't know.
Revamp the website - It was pretty confusing to navigate through that site. Needs to be simpler, and focus on that race, not OW swimming in general and different events as a whole (that's what your site is for)
Moving an event later is fine due to delay, but moving an event sooner isn't a great option.
I understand an appreciate the desire to swim with the Special Olympian, but an RD (I am assuming you're the RD, apologies if you aren't) should be on the deck all the time, to deal with things like the announcer
For post race stuff like water, have someone at the finish chute to direct swimmers to the swimmers tent (I wasn't aware there was one).
These are just my thoughts, and again, I wouldn't dream of asking for the event entry fee back. You provided a safe, well marked, and (unfortunately for my finish time) accurate course ( I swam the infamous 1.5 mile "1 mile" course in 2008, or whatever it actually was). The rest is just the "fringe benefits" we middle aged AGers look for in races.
Chris
