Competition

Competition Name
2018 U.S. Masters Swimming Sprint-Distance Open Water National Championship & non-champ.1 mile/5K
Meet Date
Sat, 6/9/2018
Description
2018 U.S. MASTERS SWIMMING SPRINT-DISTANCE
OPEN WATER
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
And non-championship 1-mile and 5K
June 9, 2018 (backup date June 10)
Little Grassy Lake, Makanda, Illinois
hosted by
Saluki Masters Swim Club, assisted by Saluki Swim Club, of Carbondale, IL

Sanctioned by the Ozark LMSC for U.S. Masters Swimming, Inc. #228-W001

Date: June 9, 2018, with backup date of June 10, 2018 in the event of unsafe conditions on June 9th.

Meet Site: Southern Illinois University Touch of Nature Environmental Center, Camp One Beach, Little Grassy Lake, 1206 Touch of Nature Road, Makanda, IL 62958. Directions at www.swimslam.org/SMSC/EclipseCrossroadsOW/

Boats for officials and safety personnel will be provided by the event host. Little Grassy Lake has a 10 horsepower motor limit. All boats must have a pass obtained from the USFWS Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge Visitors Center, 8588 Route 149, Marion, IL 62959. The visitor’s center is open daily from 8 am – 4 pm. Passes may also be available at Little Grassy Campground. https://www.fws.gov/refuge/Crab_Orchard/visit/plan_your_visit.html

Open Water Course: All races will begin with an in-water start and finish onshore. The course is a 1-mile rectangle and will be swum in a clockwise direction. One time around the course will constitute the one mile events. Three circuits around the course will constitute the 5 K. Course map is available at the following link: http://www.swimslam.org/SMSC/EclipseCrossroadsOW/

The National Championship 1-mile will be swum first, followed by a non-championship 1-mile for OEVT (single day registrants) and those using Category II swimwear. See USMS Rule 303.7 http://www.usms.org/rules/part3.pdf for description of Category I and II swimwear. Those who enter after the maximum number of entries has been met for the National Championship may swim the non-championship 1-mile instead, if that entry limit has not yet been met. The 5K swim will begin one hour following the finish of all one mile swims with swimmers with Category I swimwear first (USMS members and OEVT), followed by those with Category II swimwear. Category I and II maybe combined in the 5K depending on the number of entries. Swimmers will be seeded by 1500 meter or 1650 yard times, seeded fast to slow. Seeding will be by waves with maximum of 50 swimmers per wave. The course will be cleared of swimmers before the next event begins. Seed times are required. NT entries will not be accepted.

Average water temp on race day is 72.5. Average high for air temp on race day is 78. Average low for air temp on race day is 55. No wetsuits will be permitted if the water temperature exceeds 78 degrees.

Swimmers will have access to the pavilion and concession area. Swimmers will have access to showers and bathrooms near the pavilion.

Safety/Warm-up Procedures:
Colored caps will be issued to athletes. Swimmers must wear their assigned cap during warm-up and their race. Warm-up will be on a limited portion of the course.

Eligibility:
Persons eighteen (18) years of age and older and all levels of swimming ability are welcome. Age is determined by swimmer’s age on December 31, 2018, except 18 year olds must be 18, no later than June 9, 2018.

The USMS National Championship Sprint Distance 1-mile eligibility: All swimmers must be current members of U.S. Masters Swimming or FINA Masters organization. You may apply for USMS membership online prior to registering for the event at the USMS website http://www.usms.org/reg/. No OEVT entries will be accepted for the National Championship race. Only Category I swimwear will be permitted for the National Championship race. Late entries and on deck registration will not be accepted.

Non-championship 1-mile or 5K eligibility: Participants must be 2018 USMS or FINA members or pay the additional $20 OEVT fee. One Day USMS registration (OEVT) of $20 is available for the non-championship races with online registration or by paper registration. Swimmers with Category I and Category II swimwear will wear different colored caps and may be swum in the same wave of the non-championship events, depending on the number of entries received. No swimmers with Category II swimwear will be permitted in the Championship 1-mile waves. No wetsuits will be permitted if the water temperature exceeds 78 degrees.

Qualifying Times: Swimmers will be seeded by submitted 1500 meter or 1650 yard times. The maximum time limit for swimmers in each wave of the 1-mile is 1 hour. The course will be cleared of any swimmer still on the course after one-hour from the start of the last wave of the 1-mile National Championship race and the non-championship 1-mile. For all waves of the 5K, the maximum time limit will be 2 hour 15 minutes (2:28 per 100 yard) Please do not enter the 5K if you cannot complete the race in this time.

Entry Limits:  The National Championship Sprint Distance will be limited to the first 150 entrants. The non-championship 1-mile and 5K events will be limited to the first 100 entrants for each event.

Entry Procedure: Online registration through Club Assistant for both the National Championship Sprint Distance event and the non-championship 1-mile and 5 K is preferred, but paper entry forms will be accepted if received with correct entry fee payment by the entry deadline and entry limits have not yet been met. Online entries are paid by credit card to ClubAssistant.com Events. Paper entries must be paid by check to Saluki Masters Swim Club. Fees are non-refundable and non-transferable.

Entry Fees:
Entry fees depend on date of entry, type and number of events entered. Choose only one of the following:
  1. National Championship 1 mile, EARLY registration = $63 by April 9th
  2. Both National Championship 1 mile and 5K EARLY registration = $83 by April 9th
  3. National Championship 1 mile registration = $73 Deadline May 26th
  4. Both National Championship 1 mile and 5 K registration = $93 Deadline May 26th
  5. Non-Championship 1 mile EARLY registration $60 by April 9th
  6. Both Non-Championship 1 mile and 5 K EARLY registration = $80 by April 9th
  7. Non-Championship 1 mile registration = $70 Deadline May 26th
  8. Both Non-Championship 1 mile and 5 K registration = $90 Deadline May 26th
  9. 5K only EARLY registration = $60 by April 9th
  10. 5K only registration = $70 Deadline May 26th
OEVT registration for those who are not current USMS members is $20, in addition to the appropriate entry fees, except that OEVT are not eligible to enter the National Championship1 mile. They must complete a separate OEVT registration form to start online registration and pay the additional $20.

Entry Deadline:
Online entries are expected to be available at Club Assistant by January 31, 2018. Early entry deadline is 11:59 PM Central Time April 9th. Entries for the USMS National Championship Sprint Distance will close at 11:59 PM Central Time May 26th or when 150 entries have been reached, whichever is sooner. Entries for all other events will close 11:59 PM May 26th, or whenever 100 entries have been reached in the non-championship 1 mile and the 5K. No on site or race day entries will be accepted. We will confirm by email receipt of all entries.

Safety/Conduct/Rules: 2018 U.S. Masters Swimming rules for open water events will apply, including the new rule that allows swimmers to momentarily use objects or course observation craft without DQ as long as no forward motion in the course occurs.

Please note that the SIU Touch of Nature Environmental Center is an entirely smoke-free campus. No smoking of any kind is permitted.

All swimmers must report to the registration area (dining hall) for race caps and body numbering. For the non-championship 1- mile and the 5 K, swimmers must declare at the registration table their intention to use Category I or Category II swimwear in order to be given the correct cap and number assignment. Swimmers will be marked with numbers on one shoulder, one leg and cap in the registration area.
  • There will be no penalty for scratching (entry fees will not be refunded)
  • Athletes must notify personnel at the timing table if they decide to scratch after completing morning registration.
  • No swimmer in Category I swimwear shall be allowed to wear a wetsuit. No additional devices to help speed, pace, buoyancy, or endurance are allowed (such as webbed gloves, fins, snorkels, therapeutic tape, etc.).
  • No swimmer in Category II swimwear shall be allowed to use any additional devices to help speed, pace, buoyancy, or endurance (such as webbed gloves, fins, snorkels, therapeutic tape, etc.), other than wetsuit and/or neoprene cap. Wetsuits are not permitted if the water temperature exceeds 78 degrees.
Abandonment: When emergency conditions require a race to be halted before it is completed, the race shall be restarted at the earliest possible time and the full distance completed.

In the event of severe inclement weather or other unsafe conditions, the backup date is Sunday June 10th.

Awards:
Individual awards for the National Championship 1-mile:
1st through 6th place medals for each age group and gender.
USMS National Championship patch to first place finisher in each age group and gender.
Individual awards for non-championship Category I apparel 1-mile and 5K:
1st through 3rd place ribbons for each distance, age group, and gender.
No awards for Category II apparel swims.

Results: Results will be posted in the pavilion as they become available. Any protest shall be made to the referee (Tom Lombardo) within 30 minutes after the release of the results. Final results will be posted on the USMS and Ozark LMSC web sites. An awards ceremony for the National Championship first, second and third place finishers in each age group and gender will take place in the pavilion during the break between the 1-mile and 5 K events.

Parking: Parking is limited. Carpooling is recommended. A shuttle bus will be provided from distant parking lots to Camp 1. Golf carts will be provided from Camp 1 to the beach area for attendees needing additional assistance.

Concessions: Food will be available for purchase on site.

Apparel: Custom t-shirts with the Eclipse Crossroads Open Water logo are available for $15. Please add $15 to your entry fee if you wish to order one. T-shirt design is posted at www.swimslam.org/SMSC/EclipseCrossroadsOW/Tshirtlayout.jpg

Warm-Up: Warm-up and warm down only in the designated area. This area will be lifeguard supervised. On course warm up will be available after the mandatory athlete meetings.

Check-in and registration:
7:00 am Central DST registration begins. There are two check-in times:
7:00-8:00 am for all 1 mile entrants.
7:00-10:00 am for all 5K entrants.
Those who are entered in both 1 mile and 5 K may check-in for both simultaneously. 

Officials and Meet Personnel Technical Meeting:
7:30 am Central DST Mandatory Officials and meet personnel meetings will be on the TON Camp 1 beach

Mandatory Athlete Meeting for all 1 mile participants:
8:15 am Central DST Mandatory athlete meeting on the TON Camp 1 beach for the Championship and non-Championship 1 mile swimmers.

Warm up following the meeting: 8:30-8:45 am Central DST

Mandatory Athlete Meeting for all 5K participants:
Mandatory athlete meeting for the 5K will be 15 minutes following the completion of all 1 mile swims and the awards ceremony.

First Race begins at 9:00 am Central DST
Event 1
1. U.S. Masters Swimming Sprint Distance Open Water National Championship -1 mile (All must have Category I swimwear and be USMS members) 

Events 2 and 3 may be swum together, but scored separately, depending on number of entries
2. Non-championship 1 mile (Category I swimwear OEVT swimmers)
3. Non-championship 1 mile (Category II swimwear, USMS and OEVT)

One Hour Break for volunteers and officials. Awards ceremony for the USMS Sprint Open Water Nationals

Events 4 and 5 may be swum together, but scored separately, depending on the number of entries.
4. Non-championship 5K (Category I swimwear, USMS and OEVT)
5. Non-championship 5K (Category II swimwear, USMS and OEVT)

Lodging Information: Come enjoy the beautiful country of southern Illinois, with accommodations to fit all preferences, including hotel rooms, rustic cabins, and campsites at Touch of Nature, Giant City State Park, or in nearby Carbondale, or Marion, IL. Lodging information will be provided on the event website: http://www.swimslam.org/SMSC/EclipseCrossroadsOW/Lodging .

Travel Information: Closest local airport - MWA - Veterans Airport of Southern Illinois (previously named Williamson County Regional Airport) - 22 miles from venue,
Closest international airport - STL - St Louis Lambert International (125 miles from venue). Connecting flights are available to MWA. Commercial shuttles are also available from the airport to Carbondale.  Next closest international airport BNA - Nashville International (200 miles to venue, Interstate Highway most of the way).
Carbondale, IL is also served by Amtrak passenger trains.

Contacts:
Event Director:  Clay Kolar
620 Sheppard Lane, Makanda, IL 62958
PHONE: 618-201-8077 (text and cell – leave message)
EMAIL: eclipseopenwater@gmail.com

USMS Certified Safety Director:  Mary Pohlmann
PHONE: emergency number: 618-534-8472, home number 618-549-5077
EMAIL: maryp@siu.edu

USMS Certified Event Referee:  Tom Lombardo
PHONE: 314-952-3667
EMAIL: tlombardojr@hotmail.com
Officials interested in working should contact Tom Lombardo
Pool
Little Grassy Lake
Street
1206 Touch of Nature Rd
City, State, ZIP
Makanda, IL 62958
Map
Course Description
25 Yards / Outdoor
Information
Date Entry Due
Sat, 5/26/2018