15th SOUTHERN OREGON COAST SWIMS AT EEL LAKE
Eel Lake, OR Saturday, August 8, 2020
Hosted by Southern Oregon Masters Aquatics
REGISTER ONLINE: https://www.clubassistant.com/club/meet_information.cfm?c=2441&smid=13365
LOCATION: Eel Lake is a freshwater lake on the Oregon coast at William M. Tugman State Park, on U.S. 101 between Reedsport and Coos Bay. Expected water temperature is 67-71 degrees F., and will be posted on race day. No, the lake is not named for its residents; it’s named for its shape.
SWIMS: Adults—sorry, no swimmers under age 18—may enter either or both of the swims. We’ll start with a 3000-meter swim, twice clockwise around an irregular pentagonal course (remember your geometry?). Then we’ll stage the 1500-meter swim, once around the pentagonal course counter-clockwise.
SWIM SCHEDULE (subject to change due to conditions):
8:00-8:40am Registration/Check-in for all swims
8:45am Required pre-swim meeting for 3000-meter swim
9:00am Start of 3000-meter swim
10:00-10:30am Registration/Check-in for 500-meter Predicted Time Swim
10:40am Required pre-swim meeting for 500-meter Predicted Time Swim
10:55am Start of 500-meter Predicted Time swim
11:00-11:30am Registration/Check-in for 1500-meter Swim
11:40am Required pre-swim meeting for 1500-meter Swim
11:55am Start of 1500-meter swim
1:15pm Awards
ELIGIBILITY: Open ONLY to 2020 USMS members or foreign equivalents 18 + on race day. USMS “One-Event” membership—covering all swims—is available for adults 18+ only for $21.
RULES: Current USMS rules shall govern this event.
- Age will be determined by the age of the swimmer on December 31, 2020, except for 18-year-olds, who must be 18 on the day of the event;
- Category II suits—including wetsuits—are welcomed in all swims, but will be scored in a separate category in the 1500 & 3000-meter swims;
- Swimmers in either swimwear category MAY wear a personal buoy (tow float) for identification and safety. These are defined as inflatable, tethered to the waist, and towed no farther behind than the top of the ankle;
- Swimmers MAY make deliberate contact with craft and/or physical features on or near the course.
PREDICTED TIME SWIM: We’re bringing back an old favorite; the 500-meter Swim will be a “predict your finish time” swim! Swim speed is irrelevant; the swimmer who guesses closest to his or her actual finish time will be the overall winner. In the past, the finish has been determined by less than a second, so please submit your prediction to the one-hundredth of a second.
JUST FOR FUN: In the 1500-meter swim only, we have a category called ‘Just for Fun’ for swimmers who would like a more relaxed, non-competitive participation swim experience. Swimmers in this category may use otherwise-prohibited devices like snorkels, pull buoys, paddles, fins, etc. They’ll identify themselves at the swimmers’ pre-swim meeting and swim with the rest of us, but for safety and fairness, they’ll start at the back of the pack and avoid contact & drafting with those who are racing. We won’t report places or score them in any swimwear category, but we will report times as a courtesy. As we said—just for fun! This category is aimed to attract new participants who might not be inclined to race or to swim without their favorite gear.
STARTS & SEEDING: The 1500 & 3000-meter swims will use a mass start. The 500-meter swim will use an individual start and will be seeded fastest-to-slowest based on 500-yard seed time. Day-of-Race entries or those not submitting a seed time will not be seeded in advance and will swim last. No changes allowed in seeding times at the race, so enter accurately.
SAFETY—OUR PRIMARY CONCERN: Safety boats will monitor the entire course. Swimmers must wear a brightly colored swim cap, have their race number on their arms or hands, and follow all announced safety rules without exception.
REGISTRATION—ONLINE ONLY (except day-of-race entries, which carry a $10 late fee): Online entries must be received by Monday, August 3. After that, swimmers may only enter as a Day-of-Race entry, which carries a $10 late fee. Save some cash—submit your entries on time!
ENTRY FEES: One swim (1500 or 3000-meter) is $30; one swim, either 1500 or 3000, plus Time Trial Swim is $35; both long swims or all three swims are $40. Entry fee includes pre & post-swim snacks and the swims themselves. Online entry is paid by credit card to “ClubAssistant.com Events”.
OMS SANCTION SURCHARGE: There is a required a $5 per swimmer surcharge to cover the cost of USMS-mandated sanction insurance.
RESULTS: Will be posted at Eel Lake promptly after each swim and at www.somaswim.org and www.swimoregon.org after the event.
AWARDS: Age groups are standard USMS age groups.
- 1500 and 3000-meter swims: Eel Lake ribbons to the top three finishers in each age group & race in both suit categories.
- 500-meter Predicted Time Swim: Bragging rights!
- ‘Just for Fun’ Category in the 1500-meter swim: No awards, but the great satisfaction of a swim well done.
OREGON OPEN WATER SERIES: All swims count towards the cumulative season series. The 1500 & 3000-meter swims are featured swims, the 500-meter Time Trial Swim is a qualifying swim, and the ‘Just for Fun’ category in the 1500-meter swim is a participation swim.
SNACKS: Beverages, brownies, cookies, & fruit will be available, but lunch will not be provided.
SOUVENIRS: Swimmers may pre-order commemorative T-shirts for $20. A limited number of shirts will be for sale at the event.
DIRECTIONS: Google William M. Tugman State Park, just off U.S. Highway 101 between Reedsport and Coos Bay.
PARKING: There is plenty of nearby parking in the park, with no parking fee.
CAMPING: Tugman campground has both reservable and first-come, first-served campsites, as well as reservable yurts. Call 1-800-452-5687 for reservations. As a backup, try nearby Umpqua State Park, same reservation number.
LOCAL KNOWLEDGE GURU: Ralph Mohr rmohr1565@charter.net 541-269-1565
EVENT DIRECTOR: Matt Miller matt@flytrapcare.com 636-209-8916