The Tribune

FOR the third consecutive year, Swift will be hosting its open water swim race at the Palm Cay site. It has proved to be an ideal location with a beach and shallow water stretching for miles.

The open water event is being sponsored by Palm Cay, Subway, Higgs & Johnson, Deloitte and Australian Gold. Another unique attraction for the open water race is that the Bahamas Swimming Federation has set tougher standards for those who would like to represent the Bahamas in open water swimming.

Swimmers will have to compete in two open water races a year and will be required to make a qualifying time standard for the regional meets like CARIFTA and CCCAN. This year’s event will be more popular since the Bahamas is hosting the Youth Commonwealth Games in July, 2017.

Event organisers anticipate that most of the local clubs, including Freeport and Abaco, will be represented and that we will see some great competition that will result in swimmers qualifying for CARIFTA and CCCAN and going on to represent the Bahamas well next year.

The age groups are 10-and-under, 11-12, 13-19, 20-49, and 50-and-over. There are three courses, 800 metres for 10 and unders and a  1.6k course for all 11 and older age groups, and the 5k course for the 12-and-older age groups.

There will be gold, silver, and bronze medals for the top three finishes per age group for both women and men, over each course, and a trophy for the overall top male and female swimmer in all three courses, 800 meters, the 1.6K and 5K courses. Also a trophy named after Susan Morley for the oldest and youngest swimmer.

It will be a triangular course ( 1.6K) which will allow the swimmers to complete one lap for the 1.6 K course and 3 laps for the 5K course. The course will be set up using GPS, so as to cover the official distance required.

Registration begins at 8 AM in front of the “ The Palm Beach Cay Club” restaurant inside  Palm Cay, and the race begins at 10 AM.

Registration forms can be found at www.swimswift.com and then under the “events” tab, or you can e-mail them at swiftswimming@coralwave.com if you have any other questions.