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