23rd Annual Cascade Lakes Swim Series & Festival at Elk Lake

23rd ANNUAL CASCADE LAKES SWIM SERIES & FESTIVAL AT ELK LAKE
featuring the USMS 5000-meter (5-km) Open Water National Championships
& the Oregon 1500-meter Open Water Association Championships               
Elk Lake, OR      July 28-30, 2017      5 Swims in 3 Days!

Hosted by Central Oregon Masters Aquatics and Bend Park & Recreation District
Sanctioned by Oregon LMSC for U.S. Masters Swimming, Inc. #377-W003
Operating under Special Use Permit from the United States Forest Service

Entries completed by July 17 will pay the normal fees.  Entries completed July 18-22 must pay a $10 late fee.   The online entry system will close on July 22 at Midnight PDST.

UPDATE: The Campground on Friday and Saturday is FULL! However, you may still camp on Thursday and Sunday. The cutoff time for ordering T-Shirts with your entry is past. We will have a few shirts for sale at the race venue for $16, first come, first served.

LOCATION:  Elk Lake, a beautiful, clear mountain lake nestled in the sunny Oregon Cascades 33 miles from Bend.  Water temperature is expected to be 66-69 degrees F. and will be posted on race days.

FESTIVAL:  Elk Lake is a great place to bring your family for a fine outdoors experience and extravaganza.  Think multi-day, multi-swim FESTIVAL!

RACES:  The Cascade Lakes Swim Series features five open water swims over three days.  Adult participants may enter any or all of the five swims.  Friday’s swim is a 3000-meter swim on a triangular course.  Saturday’s swims are an individual 500-meter time trial on an out-and-back floating line course and a 1500-meter swim around a triangular course.  Sunday’s swims will include a 5000-meter swim consisting of three loops of a diamond & triangular course and a 1000-meter swim on an irregular course following the shoreline.

SWIM SCHEDULE (subject to change due to conditions):
Friday, July 28, 2017

4:30-5:30pm   Registration/Check-In for 3000-meter swim
6:00pm           Start of 3000-meter swim

Saturday, July 29, 2017

7:45-8:45am        Registration/Check-In for 500 & 1500-meter swims
9:15am                Start of 500-meter swim
10:15-11:00am    Registration/Check-in for the 1500-meter
11:30am              Start of 1500-meter swim—also the Oregon 1500-meter Association Championships!

Sunday, July 30, 2017

7:15 am-8:15am   Registration/Check-In for 5000 & 1000-meter swims
8:45 am                Start of 5000-meter swim—also the USMS 5000-meter National Championships!
10:00-11:00am     Registration/Check-In for the 1000-meter swim
11:45 am              Start of 1000-meter race

Pre-race instructions 15 minutes before each start time.  A picnic lunch or dinner will follow the finish of races each day.

SERIES:  The Cascade Lakes Swim Series includes a Short Series (500, 1000, & 1500-meter swims) and a Long Series (1500, 3000, & 5000-meter swims).  Each swimmer may enter one distance series only and must complete all three series swims to be eligible for series awards.  For series awards, points will be based on finish order in each race, with a Category II suit deduction (10% time penalty).  Swimmers who complete all FIVE swims will win special Survivor awards.

ELIGIBILITY:  Open ONLY to 2017 USMS members or foreign equivalents, who must be adults 18+ on Friday, July August 28, 2017.  USMS “One-Event” membership—covering all races except the 5000-meter National Championship swim—is available for adults 18+ only for $21.

RULES:  USMS rules will govern this event.  Category I suits are required for the 5000-meter National Championship swim.  Category II suits—including wetsuits—are welcomed in all swims, but scored in a separate category.  See event website for swimwear details.

STARTS & SEEDING:  The 1500, 3000 & 5000-meter swims will use a mass start (with a separate wave in USMS 5000-meter championship swim for Category II suits).  The 500-meter swim will have individual starts and the 1000-meter swim will start in small heats; both swims will be seeded fastest-to-slowest based on 500-yard seed time.  Day-of-Race entries and 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 accurate times.

SAFETY—OUR PRIMARY CONCERN:  Safety boats will monitor the entire course and medical personnel will be on-site.  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):    
Entries completed by July 17 will pay the normal fees.  Entries completed July 18-22 must pay a $10 late fee.  The online entry system will close on July 22 at midnight PDST.  After that, swimmers may only enter at the event site as a Day-of-Race entry, which requires a $20 late fee.  Save some cash—submit your entries on time!

ENTRY FEES:  Your first entered swim is $35, and each additional race is $5 more.  Entry fee includes a swim cap and post-swim meals on your race days.

OMS SANCTION SURCHARGE:  There is a required $5 per swimmer surcharge cover the cost of USMS-mandated sanction insurance.

RESULTS:  Will be posted at Elk Lake promptly after each race and at www.comaswim.org and www.swimoregon.org after the event.

AWARDS:  Age groups are standard USMS age groups.
Awards to individual swimmers by age group:

• Medals to eight places in each age group in the USMS 5000-meter championships.  Championship patches to the USMS winners, who are required to be full USMS members.
• Ribbons to three places in each age group in all other swims in both suit categories.
• Ceramic coasters to the top 3 Series finishers in each age group.

Awards to individual swimmers regardless of age group:

• Ceramic mug to the top masters male & female in each Series.
• Special Survivor glass mug to everyone completing all five swims.

OREGON OPEN WATER SERIES:  All swims count towards the cumulative season series.  The 1500 & 5000 are featured swims, while the 500, 1000, & 3000-meter swims are qualifying swims.

SOUVENIR T-SHIRTS:  With their entry, swimmers may pre-order & purchase one high-quality commemorative t-shirt for $12 and additional t-shirts for $16, sizes S-XL ($2 more for 2XL).  They will not be on sale at the event. See the Event Website for the t-shirt design.

MEALS:  Swimmers will receive a post-swim meal; order vegetarian or meat with entry.  Swimmers may pre-order specatator meals (vegetarian or meat) for $8 each with entry.  Meals include dinner on Friday evening, and lunch on Saturday and Sunday.

CAMPING:  By pre-registration only (first come first served), we have reserved Little Fawn Group Campground for swimmers & spectators Thursday through Sunday.  Only tents or small motor homes are permitted.  Camping fee is $8 per day per camper 12 years or older—include fee with your entry form to secure your spot.  Limited parking at the campgrounds!  NO drop-in camping!

DIRECTIONS (Mapquest: Elk Lake):  From Century Drive in Bend, take the Cascade Lakes Scenic Highway approximately 34 miles to Elk Lake.  The start & finish for all swims is the Beach Day Use Area at the southernmost eend of the lake, last Elk Lake exit if coming from Bend.

PARKING:  Parking is limited to two large pullouts off the Cascades Lakes Highway, the Six-Lakes Trailhead, and the Little Lava Lake Group Campground.  A shuttle will run Saturday & Sunday between the campground, trailhead, and the race site before & during registration and after races are completed.  There will be no general parking at the race site until after event activities have concluded.  Your car must display a current NW Forest Pass to park anywhere other than the highway pullouts, trailhead, or campground.


DOGS:  NO DOGS at Elk Lake (USFS Rule), but they may be in the campground on a leash.  Never leave your dog unattended in a car!

WEBSITE FOR COMPLETE INFO:  www.comaswim.org

EVENT DIRECTOR:  Bob Bruce    coachbobbruce@gmail.com    541-317-4851