Cancelled 15th Central Coast Swims at Eel Lake

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Registration Schedule

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SAFETY—OUR PRIMARY CONCERN: 

• Swimmers MUST follow all announced safety rules without exception, under penalty of disqualification.
• Swim Safety:  All swims will be unescorted.  Spotters in safety boats will monitor the entire course in zone coverage and medical personnel will be on-site.  Swimmers must wear a brightly-colored swim cap of your choice (such as team caps!), have their race number on their arms (or hands when wearing sleeved wetsuits), and provide their emergency contact information with entry.
• COVID-19 Safety:  We cannot foretell the status of the pandemic on the event date.  As we get closer, we will post and distribute requirements for event pandemic protocols.  As vaccination becomes available to you, get your shots!

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 (in order): 

• 3000-meter swim counterclockwise twice around our polygonal course (remember your geometry?).
• 500-meter Predicted-time swim out-and-back along a floating lane line.
• 1500-meter swim clockwise once around our polygonal course. 

SWIM SCHEDULE (subject to change due to conditions):
  8:00-8:40am       Registration/Check-in OPENS for all swims
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  8:45am               Registration/Check-in CLOSES for 3000-meter swim
  8:45am               Mandatory pre-swim instructions for 3000-meter swim
  9:00am               Start of 3000-meter swim
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  10:40am            Registration/Check-in CLOSES for 500-meter Predicted-time Swim
  10:45am            Mandatory pre-swim instructions for 500-meter Predicted-time Swim
  11:00am            Start of 500-meter Predicted-time Swim
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  11:40am            Registration/Check-in CLOSES for 1500-meter swim
  11:45am            Mandatory pre-swim instructions for 1500-meter swim
  12:00noon         1500-meter swim
  1:00pm             Awards
 
ELIGIBILITY:  Open ONLY to adults (18 years of age or older on the day of the event) who are current USMS members or foreign equivalents.  Eligibility will be automatically verified through the online entry system.  For swimmers who are not USMS members, USMS “One-Event” membership is available with entry for $15.
Age Determining Date:  The swimmer’s age as of December 31, 2021, will determine the age group according to USMS rule 301.4: "In open water and postal swims, the eligibility of a swimmer shall be determined by the age of the swimmer on December 31 of the year of competition, except for 18-year-olds, who must be 18 on the day that they swim."
RULES:  Current USMS rules will govern this event.  Under penalty of disqualification, swimmers may not make deliberate contact with craft, craft operators, and/or any physical features on or near the course during the swim
SWIMWEAR:  Current USMS swimwear rules will govern this event.

• Category II suits—including wetsuits—are welcomed in the 1500 & 3000-meter swims but tabulated separately from Category I suits.  See event website for swimwear category details.
• All suits that meet the USMS design (‘modesty’) swimwear clause and all gear are legal for the Predicted-time Swim, except wristwatches.
• Swimmers in either swimwear category MAY wear a Safety Tow Buoy for identification and safety.  These are defined as inflatable, tethered to the waist, and towed no farther behind than mid-calf.  Swimmers wearing Safety Tow Buoys will be tabulated in Category II.

CONSOLIDATED EVENT:  All swims will be conducted seeded as a single swim without regard to swimmer gender, age, or swimwear category.  Places, awards, and published results for the 1500 & 3000-meter events shall be separate for each gender, age group, and swimwear category.  Places, awards, and published results for the Predicted-time swims will be ordered on the closeness to swimmers’ predicted times.
QUALIFYING TIME:  Swimmers who cannot swim 1650-yards (1500-meters) in 45 minutes MUST NOT ENTER these events.  It’s for safety!  Swimmers on the 3000-meter course longer than 1:40 may be stopped and listed as DNF/DQ in the results.
‘JUST FOR FUN’ CATEGORY:  In both the 3000 & 1500-meter swims, we have included 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, buoys, paddles, fins, etc.  They’ll identify themselves at the swimmers’ pre-swim meeting and swim with the rest of us, but for safety & 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!  In 2017, the Eel Lake Swims were the very first event in the nation to pilot this category, now integrated into our usual swims and aimed to attract swimmers who might not be inclined to race or to swim without their favorite gear.

WARM-UP & WARM-DOWN: 

• There will spotters provided in the area close to shore for supervised warm-up & warm-down.  Choosing to swim elsewhere in the lake is at the swimmer’s own risk. 
• Warm up before the pre-race instructions, as swimmers go directly from meeting to marshaling to racing!

STARTS & SEEDING:  The 1500 & 3000-meter swims will use a mass start.  The 500-meter Predicted-time Swim will use an individual start with a 20-second stagger, seeded fastest to slowest.
 
REGISTRATION—ONLINE ONLY (except day-of-race entries, which carry a $10 late fee): https://www.clubassistant.com/club/meet_information.cfm?c=1756&smid=13983.  Online entries must be received by Tuesday, August 10.  After that, swimmers may only enter at the swim site as a Day-of-Race entry, which carries a $10 late fee.   Save some cash—submit your entries on time!
ENTRY FEE:  One swim is $25; two swims are $35; all three swims are $40.  Entry fee includes pre & post-swim snacks and the swims themselves.
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.comaswim.org and www.swimoregon.org after the event.
AWARDS:  Age groups are standard USMS age groups.

• 1500 & 3000-meter swims:  Eel Lake ribbons to the top three finishers in each age group & swim in both suit categories.
• 500-meter Predicted-time Swim:  Eel Lake ribbons to the top three finishers closest to their predicted time regardless of age group or swimwear category.
• ‘Just for Fun’ Category in the 3000 & 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 Predicted-time Swim is a participation swim, and the ‘Just for Fun’ category in the 3000 & 1500-meter swims are participation swims.
SOUVENIRS:  None.  We’re trying to keep the cost of your swims low.
HOT DRINKS:  We’ll have hot water for drinks to help keep you warm before & after swims.
SNACKS:  Beverages, brownies, cookies, & fruit will be available, but lunch will not be provided.
DIRECTIONS:  Google William M. Tugman State Park, just off U.S. Highway 101 between Reedsport and Coos Bay.
PARKING:  There is plenty of nearby car parking in the park close to the swim site, with no parking fee.  Avoid using the boat parking because it is limited and there for boats!
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.

EVENT WEBSITE FOR EVENT INFO:  www.comaswim.org
LOCAL KNOWLEDGE GURU:  Ralph Mohr   rmohr1565@charter.net    541-269-1565
EVENT DIRECTOR:  Bob Bruce   coachbob@bendbroadband.com    541-317-4851
 

Note: If paying by credit card, your credit card statement will reflect a charge from "WWW.COMASWIM.ORG."