1st Annual, Swim Around Lido Key, 7-mile Open Water Swim Race

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Registration Schedule

This competition is limited to the first 50 entrants.

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Sunday, April 12, 2015

At beautiful Lido Key Beach, Sarasota, Florida

Sanctions
Florida LMSC for USMS Sanction #
Florida Swimming for USA Swimming Official Approval # A-OW-3284

Hosted by Swim Without Limits, Inc.

Race website: www.FLOWSwimming.com

Event Directors
David Miner 941-545-9709
Steve Butler 941-376-3524

About Lido Key
A gorgeous barrier island adjacent to Sarasota, Lido Key boasts some of Sarasota’s most beautiful beaches. With St. Armands Circle, Lido Key is a hub for excellent shopping and fine dining. Bring your family and friends to enjoy a great race and a special weekend exploring Lido Key and all that Sarasota offers. See http://www.visitsarasota.org/ for more information about Sarasota.

About the Race
This is a 7-mile race around the beautiful island of Lido Key. Each swimmer will have a kayak escort to provide safety, navigation, and nutrition to the swimmer. Swimmers can enter as either a solo swimmer or as a 2-person relay, where each person swims and paddles the kayak.

The course starts in the Gulf of Mexico on Lido's public beach just north of the Lido Beach Resort Hotel and takes you north along the beautiful beaches to New Pass inlet where you’ll swim by large waterfront homes and Mote Marine Aquarium up to City Island where you’ll turn right heading west, south-west to Coon Key in the Sarasota Bay waters. Popular Bird Key will be to your left as you make your way to Big Pass and the beautiful Lido Park. Exiting Sarasota Bay waters through Big Pass, you’ll turn right and head north in the Gulf along sparkling white sand beaches to the finish line at the Lido Beach Resort Hotel.

We STRONGLY encourage swimmers to bring their own experienced kayaker to escort them, but if you’re coming from out of town or just don’t have a kayaker, we’ll provide a kayaker for you. All pilot escorts MUST register as a pilot even if you're bringing your own escort. Please register at: https://www.clubassistant.com/club/clinics/reserve.cfm?c=2237&cid=63570

Course Map


Race Hotel
Lido Beach Resort Hotel (discounted race rates available) - Make your reservations early as the rooms are first-come, first-serve.

To book your hotel room:
Online: Book Now!
Call (800) 441-2113. When calling, ask for the "Swim Around Lido" discounted race rate.

About the hotel: Known for its prime location and impeccable service, the Lido Beach Resort is Sarasota’s finest beachfront property. Located on a barrier island just off the coast of Sarasota and featuring 223 luxurious guest rooms and suites, guests can enjoy upgraded amenities in a serene setting along the Gulf of Mexico. Loyal team members await the moment to accommodate your every request. Visit www.lidobeachresort.com for more information about the hotel.

Entries
Only the first 100 entries accepted! Register today! Online entries will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, April 8, 2015. NO RACE DAY ENTRIES. Club Assistant will process all entries.

Eligibility
The race is open to all members of U.S. Masters Swimming and all ATHLETE members of USA Swimming.  Adults who are not current members of U.S. Masters Swimming may pay for a one-day membership during the online entry process; the one-day membership is $20.00 (in addition to the event entry fee). One-day memberships are NOT available for swimmers under the age of 18.

Rules
You must be able to complete the swim in UNDER 6 HOURS.  This means if there is ZERO current, you should be able to swim 1 open water mile in about 45 minutes. If you are not approaching the final mile of the swim within 6 hours, you may be pulled by the motorboat pilots and shuttled to the finish line. If you are close, you will not be pulled.

The race will follow the English Channel swimming rules. This means no swimsuits below the knees or shoulders. No suits that provide any type of buoyancy. No wetsuits. No other swimming aids. No hanging onto your pilot's boat. No touching other people.

Two-person relay teams can swap swimmers at any time during the race and as many times as they want during the race.

It is advised that you complete at least a 3-hour training swim and practice feeding every 30-minutes prior to attempting this race.

If you have any questions about your ability to swim this event, please contact the race directors

Entry Fee
$200 per solo swimmer
$200 per 2-person relay team

Entry fee provides the following:

• Escort volunteer pilot or a kayak if you have a pilot

• Hired motor boats, jet skis, and safety pilots for course monitoring
• Post race meal for each swimmer and their escort pilot
• If borrowing a kayak, it will be transported to and from the race for you
• Swim Around Lido Key T-shirt for each swimmer and escort pilot
• Finishers medal for swimmers
• Special gift for each pilot
• Drink coupon for each swimmer and pilot
• Post race beer and nonalcoholic drinks
• SWAG bag (goody bag) for each swimmer and pilot

Online entries are paid by credit card to "ClubAssistant.com Events."

PLEASE NOTE: If you can’t participate in the race or there are weather issues, there are no refunds, transfers, or deferrals for any reason. The cost of the event is fixed and the money has been spent come race day.

Check-In (race day morning)
Check-in and body marking will take place at the Lido Beach south public parking lot under the tents immediately prior to the race.

Pre-race Meeting/Social
Sunday morning, April 12,  starting at 7:30 AM will be the pre-race meeting. The meeting will take place at TBD. ALL swimmers and pilots must attend this safety and information meeting. Please refer to course map prior to the meeting. If you haven’t met your pilot prior to this meeting, you’ll meet your pilot during the meeting where you can discuss your race plan.

Equipment and nutrition
All participants will be provided with a swim cap, which must be worn during the race. Wetsuits are not permitted. Support craft other than designated event craft are not permitted. Persons allergic to latex should plan to wear a silicone cap beneath their race cap or bring their own brightly colored silicone cap.

You must provide your own nutrition for the race and a means for securing it to you pilot’s kayak. Make sure you have enough nutrition for the maximum amount of time you expect to be swimming. Each pilot must also have a cell phone secured in a dry bag for use in case of an emergency and must provide their own food and water.

Water Temperature
75-80 degrees

Safety
Emergency personnel on watercraft will protect the course. Medical staff will be on the water as well as at the start/finish line. In case of inclement weather, unusually adverse surf conditions, or any other factors that may arise, an event committee composed of the event directors and safety personnel may modify the starting time or cancel the event.

Results
Results will be posted at the awards area immediately following the completion.

Awards
Finishers medal for each swimmer who completes the swim.
Awards will be given to the overall top 5 male and top 5 female swimmers as well as the top 5 two-person relay teams.

The awards will be presented during the post race social/meal.

Location/Directions
Lido Beach Resort Hotel
700 Ben Franklin Drive
Sarasota, FL 34236

Lido Public Beach parking and beach access (this is location of the event under our large tents)
400 Ben Franklin Drive
Lido Key, FL

Interstate 75 to Sarasota exit #210 (Fruitville Road). Take Fruitville Road west to US 41. Turn left (south) onto US 41 and continue John Ringling Blvd. (789). Turn right onto John Ringling Blvd. (789) and go over the bridge. Continue to St. Armands Circle going around the circle and exit the circle on John Ringling Blvd. Go to Ben Franklin Drive and go South to 700 Ben Franklin Drive.

If you’re not staying at the hotel, park in the public parking lot just to the north of the Lido Beach Resort Hotel. There are bathrooms, etc. at the public parking area.

Service Animals
Please contact the race director if you require the use of a service animal. Animals other than legitimate service animals are not permitted on Siesta Beach and owners are subject to a fine if animals are brought onto the beach.

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