Portland Bridge Swim: Sellwood Bridge to St. Johns Bridge

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Registration Schedule

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Hosted by Tualatin Hills Barracudas
Sanctioned by Oregon Masters Swimming for U.S. Masters Swimming #W008
Operating under Permit from Portland Parks & Recreation and the U.S. Coast Guard

LOCATION & COURSE: The course is approximately 11 miles (17 km) with the current on the east side of the Willamette River through downtown Portland, Oregon. Swimmers enter the water at Sellwood Riverfront Park (SE 7th Av. & Miller St.). The swim begins with a water start south of the Sellwood Bridge, passes under all 11 of Portland's bridges on the Willamette River, and finishes at Cathedral Park (N. Edison & Pittsburg Av.) west of the St. Johns Bridge. Water temperature is expected to be 66-72 degrees Fahrenheit.

WATER QUALITY: With completion of Portland's Big Pipe project, rain is no longer a risk to water quality. We are in touch with the city water quality monitor, and Willamette Riverkeeper has scheduled a test of bacterial levels on Friday, July 20. We will be in touch with them through the summer to ensure that levels are safe. Their results will be provided at www.portlandbridgeswim.com.

TIDES & START TIME: High tide on July 22 will be at 8:51 am and low tide will be at 5:58 pm. To take advantage of the tide and to avoid as much boat traffic as possible, the swim will start at 7:00 am.

ELIGIBILITY: This event is open ONLY to 2012 USMS members (or foreign equivalents) who are at least 18 years old. A legible copy of your USMS card or foreign equivalent MUST accompany your entry. You may purchase a one-event membership for $18 with your online entry. There are also links to join USMS online.

RULES: Current United States Masters Swimming rules apply. There will be a separate awards category for Category II swimwear, which includes wetsuits. Propulsive devices, such as fins & paddles, and flotation aids, such as pull-buoys, are not allowed.

ENTRY & REGISTRATION: Individuals and 3-person relays are invited to enter. All entries MUST be received by 11:59 PM Pacific Time July 13. Due to organization & safety needs, late or day-of-race entries will NOT be accepted—please don’t even ask.

ENTRY LIMITS: The Portland Bridge Swim is limited to the first 80 entrants and relays with the completed qualifying swim. We will maintain a waiting list in case early entrants drop out.

ENTRY FEES: Fees include the swim and post-swim snacks & drinks for all swimmers & kayakers.

$130 Individual Entry
$185 3-Person Relay Entry
$50   Kayak Rental

QUALIFYING SWIM: To qualify for individual entry, swimmers must show that they have completed a minimum 5000-yard swim faster than 1:45, or farther swim at similar pace, within the 15 months before the swim. Pool or open water swims will be accepted. This swim does not have to take place in a competition, but requires the signature of an observer. Relay swimmers do not have to complete a qualifying swim. Swimmers who cannot complete one mile in open water in 35 minutes should NOT enter, either individually or in a relay.

CUT-OFF TIME: For safety coverage, swimmers & relays on the course who have not completed six miles in four hours will be stopped, transported off the course, and listed as DNF in the results.

SAFETY—OUR PRIMARY CONCERN: Safety boats will monitor the entire course and medical personnel will be on site at the finish. Swimmers are required to have a support kayaker in a life vest and equipped with an additional life vest for the swimmer. Each kayaker will be provided with a two-way radio for event & safety communications and an orange flag to alert boaters to the presence of swimmers. Swimmers MUST wear the brightly-colored swim cap provided, must have their race number on their arms, and must follow all announced safety rules without exception.

KAYAKS: Swimmers & relays must provide their own escort kayaker. For swimmer safety, motorized boats are not permitted.
Kayaks—provided by Next Adventure—are available for rental scheduling up until one week before the event. Rental Deadline: July 15. Kayak rental includes boat, paddle, two life jackets, delivery at the start, and pick-up at the finish.

TRANSPORTATION: From the finish, a shuttle van will be available to transport swimmers and kayakers back to Sellwood Park. Swimmers are responsible for transporting their kayaks if those kayaks are not provided by Next Adventure.

RELAYS: Relays shall consist of three swimmers, of either or both genders. At each exchange, physical contact in the water must be made between the two swimmers. Relay swimmers must provide their own transportation to & from the relay exchange points, listed below. See the event website for maps & information about directions & parking.

Leg #1—3 miles: Sellwood Riverfront Park to the Public Pier by the OMSI submarine (1945 SE Water Ave.).
Leg #2—4 miles: OMSI Pier to Swan Island by the Daimler Headquarters (N. Anchor St. & N. Channel Av.).
Leg #3—4 miles: Swan Island to Cathedral Park.

SCHEDULE: Sunday, July 22, 2012
5:30-6:30 am – Check-in at Sellwood Park
6:30 am – Pre-race meeting
7:00 am – Swim start
8:51 am – High tide
11:00 am – Individual swimmers & relays who have not reached mile 6 will be stopped & transported to the Swan Island relay exchange point then transported to the race finish.
2:00 pm – Awards at finish in Cathedral Park
3:00 pm – Individual swimmers & relays who have not reached the finish will be stopped & transported to the race finish.

AWARDS: Male, female, and relay first-place finishers in both swimwear categories will be awarded custom Willamette River trophies. All individual & relay finishers will receive a certificate of completion.

RESULTS: Results will be available after the race, and will be posted at www.swimoregon.org  and on the event website.

OREGON SERIES: Both the individual swim & the relay swim are featured swims for the Oregon Open Water Series.

EVENT WEBSITE: www.portlandbridgeswim.com

EVENT DIRECTOR: Marisa Frieder marisa@portlandbridgeswim.org, 503-454-6766

DEADLINE: ENTRIES & PAYMENT MUST BE RECEIVED BY JULY 13, 2012!

Note: If paying by credit card, your credit card statement will reflect a charge from "ClubAssistant.com Events."