The Venue, The Water
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The Venue, The Water, The Course, The Races |
| | The 10K Results
The men's USA Swimming National 10K Open Water Swimming Championship results are HERE. The women's USA Swimming National 10K Open Water Swimming Championship results are HERE. The Venue
Marine Stadium connects directly to the Pacific Ocean in the City of Long Beach, California. The venue was built for the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics and has been well-maintained by the City. In 1968, the U.S. Olympic Rowing Trials were held here and the venue continues to attract athletes, vacationers and marine enthusiasts on a daily basis. With plenty of parking and almost guaranteed good weather, the venue is an ideal location to hold the USA Swimming National Open Water Swimming Championships as a selection meet for the 2010 World Open Water Swimming Championships to be held in Lac St-Jean in Roberval, Quebec, Canada under very similar water and weather conditions. The venue enables fast, strategic swimming in a flat water course. Spectators can easily see the entire race by standing along the shore - or they can walk along the course for a better view. For the ultimate view, coaches, parents, families and friends can board one of the Spectator Boats that will go alongside the swimmers. The Water:
The typical water temperature in Marine Stadium in early June is between 62 - 68°F (16.6 - 20°C). The water can be cool, but the swimmers must get accustomed to lower water temperatures because the 2010 World Open Water Swimming Championships and the 2012 London Olympics will both be held in venues where the water is expected to be lower than 68°F (20°C). The water conditions are excellent and very safe. There are no waves inside Marine Stadium and there is expected to be very slight surface chop even under windy conditions. Wetsuits are not allowed for the USA Swimming National Open Water Swimming Championship events, but are acceptable for the Open Water Pursuit and Sea Sprints. If you choose to wear a wetsuit in the Open Water Pursuit race, you will be eligible for awards only in the Wetsuit Division. The swim course will be rectangular in shape with right-shoulder turns (i.e., you turn to your right around the turn buoys). Contingency plan: in the unlikely case that there is a good rain in the days leading up to the event, the water quality will drop. The race management is constantly checking the water quality in cooperation with the City of Long Beach which publicly publishes its water quality test results on a daily basis. If the water quality drops below acceptable levels, the race management in conjuction with USA Swimming and the City of Long Beach will make a final decision as to where and when the races will be held. There are alternative ocean course options very close to Marine Stadium. The Course:
The course will consist of a straight 1K GPS-marked length going parallel to the shoreline. There will be large turn buoys at either end of the course and intermediate guide buoys throughout the course. There will also be one long line that will separate one side of the course from the other. Along with stand up paddle boarders and official boats along the course, it will be extraordinarily difficult to get confused in this easy-to-understand course. For the USA Swimming National Open Water Swimming Championships, there will be an in-the-water start and finish at floating pontoons. For the Open Water Pursuit, there will be onshore starts and finishes. For the Sea Sprints, there will be an in-the-water start at the floating pontoons and an onshore beach finish. The 5K course will be 2.5 complete loops of Marine Stadium in a clockwise direction. Swimmers will do right-shoulder turns throughout the race (i.e., swimming around the turn buoys with their right shoulder closest to the turn buoys). The 10K course will be 5 complete loops of Marine Stadium. For the Open Water Pursuit races, athletes may compete as Solo Swimmers or with a 3-person team (Trio Teams) or a 4-person team (Quad Squad). the 2K Open Water Pursuit will be 1 complete loop of Marine Stadium and the 4K Open Water Pursuit will be 2 complete loops of Marine Stadium. All Solo Swimmers will start together while the Trio Teams and Quad Squads will have randomly selected staggered starts (15 seconds between each team). Global Open Water Swimming Conference:
The Open Water Swimming Conference will be held in Long Beach Marriott, the host hotel to these championships. Parking and Directions: There is parking available in the Marine Stadium lots. There is also additional parking available at Colorado Lagoon and street parking along Appian Way. Southbound Pacific Coast Highway Going South on Pacific Coast Highway, turn right onto Bellflower Blvd. Turn right onto Colorado Street. Turn left on Nieto Ave. Turn left on Appian Way. Marine Stadium will be on the left. Northbound Pacific Coast Highway Going North on Pacific Coast Highway, turn left onto 2nd Street. From 2nd Street, merge right onto Appian Way exit. Turn left onto Appian Way. Marine Stadium will be on the right. Southbound I-405 Freeway Take I-405 South, exit Bellflower Blvd and turn left. Turn right onto Bellflower Blvd. Turn left on Nieto Ave. Turn left on Appian Way. Marine Stadium will be on the left. Northbound I-405 Freeway Take I-405 North, merge onto 7th Street exit – exit Studebaker Rd. Turn left onto Studebaker Rd. Turn right onto Westminster Ave (turns into 2nd Street). From 2nd Street, merge right onto Appian Way exit. Turn left onto Appian Way. Marine Stadium will be on the right. | | |
| | | | Schedule: | Wednesday afternoon, June 2nd - Course laid out for the 2010 USA Swimming National 5K and 10K Open Water Swimming Championships in Marine Stadium in Long Beach, California. Turn buoys, intermediate guide buoys, separation lane will be GPS'ed and anchored. Floating feeding stations and in-the-water start and finish floating pontoons will be begun to be set | | | Thursday, June 3rd between 5:00 - 6:00 pm - Pre-race Technical Meeting for the men's and women's USA Swimming National 10K Open Water Swimming Championship at the Long Beach Marriott Hotel. The Long Beach Marriott Hotel is located near the Long Beach Airport and right off of the 405 Freeway at 4700 Airport Plaza Drive, Long Beach, CA 90815; telephone +1 (562) 425-5210. |
| Friday, June 4th at 11:00 am - Start of the men's USA Swimming National 10K Open Water Swimming Championship in Marine Stadium in Long Beach, California. The race will take between 1 hour 52 minutes and 1 hour and 56 minutes. Coaches, parents, fans and friends can board Spectator Boats that will follow the lead pack in order to watch the action up close. American and Canadian athletes will compete for national team spots in order to represent their countries at the 2010 World Open Water Swimming Championships. Qualified athletes from other countries will also compete. | | | Friday, June 4th at 11:10 am - Start of the women's USA Swimming National 10K Open Water Swimming Championship in Marine Stadium in Long Beach, California. The race will take approximately 2 hours. Coaches, parents, fans and friends can board Spectator Boats that will follow the lead pack in order to watch the action up close. American and Canadian athletes will compete for national team spots in order to represent their countries at the 2010 World Open Water Swimming Championships. Qualified athletes from other countries will also compete. | | | Saturday, June 5th from 11:00 am - 8:00 pm - Open Water Swimming Conference at the Long Beach Marriott Hotel and Convention Center near the Long Beach Airport, California. The Open Water Swimming Conference will be held in the host hotel of the USA Swimming National Open Water Swimming Championships, located less than 10 minutes from Marine Stadium. Listen, learn, meet, discuss and network with the many thought-leaders, coaches, officials and representatives of the global open water swimming community. | | | Saturday, June 5th between 5:00 - 6:00 pm - Pre-race Technical Meeting for the men's and women's USA Swimming National 5K Open Water Swimming Championship at the Long Beach Marriott Hotel. The Long Beach Marriott Hotel is located near the Long Beach Airport and right off of the 405 Freeway at 4700 Airport Plaza Drive, Long Beach, CA 90815; telephone +1 (562) 425-5210. | | | Sunday, June 6th at 11:00 am - Start of the men's USA Swimming National 5K Open Water Swimming Championships in Marine Stadium in Long Beach, California. The race will take between 54 - 56 minutes. Coaches, parents, fans and friends can board Spectator Boats that will follow the lead pack in order to watch the action up close. American and Canadian athletes will compete. Qualified athletes from other countries will also compete. | | | Sunday, June 6th at 11:10 am - Start of the women's USA Swimming National 5K Open Water Swimming Championships in Marine Stadium in Long Beach, California. The race will take between 57 - 60 minutes. Coaches, parents, fans and friends can board Spectator Boats that will follow the lead pack in order to watch the action up close. American and Canadian athletes will compete. Qualified athletes from other countries will also compete. | | | Sunday, June 6th at 12:30 pm - Start of the Solo Swimmers of the 2K Open Water Pursuit (1.2-mile) race in Marine Stadium in Long Beach, California. Trio Teams (3 swimmers) and Quad Squads (4 swimmers) will be set off in randomly selected staggered starts 30 seconds after the Solo Swimmers start. The 2K Open Water Pursuit is one complete loop of the flat, salt water, clearly-marked course in Marine Stadium. The race will have an onshore start and finish. | | | Sunday, June 6th at 1:45 pm - Start of the Solo Swimmers of the 4K Open Water Pursuit (2.4-mile) race in Marine Stadium in Long Beach, California. Trio Teams (3 swimmers) and Quad Squads (4 swimmers) will be set off in randomly selected staggered starts 30 seconds after the Solo Swimmers start. The 4K Open Water Pursuit is two complete loops of the flat, salt water, clearly-marked course in Marine Stadium. The race will have an onshore start and finish. | | | Sunday, June 6th at 3:30 pm - Start of the Sea Sprints (50-75 meters depending on the tidal flow) in Marine Stadium in Long Beach. Swimmers will start at the floating start/finish pontoons and race to the onshore finish up on the soft sand beach. | | |
| Where:
| 5255 E. Paoli Way, Marine Stadium, Long Beach, California 90803; site of the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics rowing competition. Marine Stadium is a flat-water GPS-marked course with immediate guide buoys. One length of the course is 1K. One complete loop is 2K. | | |
| | World Champs: | For more information on the 2010 World Open Water Swimming Championships, go here. The 2010 World Open Water Swimming Championships are held in Lac St-Jean in Roberval, Quebec, Canada, a 5-hour drive from Montreal and site of the world's most prestigious professional marathon swimming race. | | |
| | Registration: | To register for the USA Swimming National Open Water Swimming Championships, go to the USA Swimming website here. | | |
| | Where: | 5255 E. Paoli Way, Marine Stadium, Long Beach, California 90803. Telephone: +1 562-570-3215. Marine Stadium is a flat-water GPS-marked course with immediate guide buoys. One length of the course is 1K. One complete loop is 2K. | | |
| | Why Pursuit? | The 2K Open Water Pursuit and 4K Open Water Pursuit races will showcase groups of swimmers using their collective drafting, positioning, navigating and pacing skills to swim efficiently and quickly in the open water. Swimmers can move much more efficiently and quickly in the water when optimally drafting off of one another, gaining the benefit of swimming in their teammate's slip stream. FINA will add a 3-person, mixed-gender 5K Team Time Trial Relay event beginning at the 2011 World Swimming Championships and at the new World Junior Open Water Swimming Championships beginning in 2012. In these new team races, 3 swimmers with at least one swimmer of each gender swim together, starting 60 seconds apart in a randomly selected staggered start. The official time is the time when the last swimmer crosses the finish line. | | |
| Open Water Pursuit Concept:
| Teams start and finish together. Swimmers are strongly encouraged to swim together, drafting, positioning, navigating and pacing off of one another. The official time of the team is the time that the swimmers all cross the finish line together, either holding hands, wrists or crossing over the line in any kind of synchronized fashion. This concept places a premium on optimal drafting, positioning, navigating and pacing, four important skill sets for competitive open water swimmers and triathletes. | | |
| Staggered Start:
| Trio Teams (3 swimmers) and Quad Squads (4 swimmers) will be start 30 seconds apart. Trio Teams and Quad Squads will receive a team number that will be written on the shoulders of each team member. Teams will start in numerical order (Team #1 first, Team #2 second, Team #3 third, etc.). The start order will be randomly selected, so some teams will undoubtedly pass other teams. Teams may draft off of other teams. This is a strategic race where team tactics and swimmer positioning are valued. It is the responsibility of each team to be in correct position at the start. If a team is not in their correct position at their appointed time, their start position is forfeited and they may start only after all the other teams have been set off. | | |
| | Start & Finish: | There will be an onshore beach start and finish. Each team member should make an effort to cross the finish line as closely to their teammates as possible. Hold hands or wrists when you finish line, or finish the line in some kind of synchronized fashion (e.g., jumping across the line together, dancing funky moves together or somersaulting) | | |
| | Divisions: | Non-wetsuit (i.e., FINA Swimsuit Legal) and Wetsuit (including all FINA non-authorized technical swimsuits) | | |
| | Categories: | Solo (1 swimmer), Trio Teams (3 swimmers) and Quad Squads (4 swimmers). Trio Teams and Quad Squads can include swimmers from any team and any nation. That is, team members do not have to come from the same USA Swimming, U.S. Masters Swimming or USA Triathlon registered teams. Men and women can be on same team. | | |
| | Awards: | Matted giclée artwork will be awarded to the top male and female teams in each division for each category. A giclée is a high-quality fine art print. | | |
| | Team Name: | Each team must submit a team name. Colorful and interesting names are encouraged. Foul or suggestive names will not be honored. | | |
| | Individuals: | If individual swimmers would like to join a team, please submit your current 1000-yard time to
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. Swimmers of approximately the same speed will be partnered together. | | |
| | Open Water Pursuit Fees: | Between $35 - $160 depending on the number of athletes. Go to Active.com here for entries and registration. Higher fees include entry to all four Drafting, Positioning, Navigating and Pacing Clinics that will be held at Tower 26 in Santa Monica Beach on Saturday, May 22nd and Saturday, May 29th and at Corona del Mar Beach on Sunday, May 23rd and Sunday, May 30th. | | |
| | Open Water Swimming Conference Fees: | $175 for participation in all presentations, panel discussions, networking opportunities, awards ceremonies. Italian dinner and participation in all Drafting, Positioning, Navigating and Pacing Clinics that will be held at Tower 26 in Santa Monica Beach on Saturday, May 22nd and Saturday, May 29th and at Corona del Mar Beach on Sunday, May 23rd and Sunday, May 30th. Register here. | | |
| | Spectator Boat Fees: | Seats on Spectator Boats on the race course are available for $20. 7-time world professional marathon swimming champion Shelley Taylor-Smith and 2-time world masters open water swimming champion Gerry Rodrigues will explain the races and are available to answer questions about the sport of open water swimming on these Spectator Boats during the USA Swimming National 5K and 10K Open Water Swimming Championships and the 2K and 4K Open Water Pursuit races. Each race costs $20. Boarding of the Spectator Boats will take place 30 minutes before the start of each race on the floating docks near the start/finish area. | | |
| | Marine Stadium: | The swim course is in calm waters and the run course is flat, fast and scenic. The typical water temperature in Marine Stadium in early June is between 62-68°F (16.6-20°C) depending on the weather. The water conditions are excellent and safe. There are no waves inside Marine Stadium where the swim takes place. Wetsuits are not allowed for the USA Swimming National Open Water Swimming Championship events, but are acceptable for the 2K and 4K Open Water Pursuit races and Sea Sprints. If you choose to wear a wetsuit in the Open Water Pursuit race, you will be eligible for awards only in the Wetsuit Division. The swim course will be rectangular in shape with right-shoulder turns (i.e., you turn to your right around the turn buoys). | | |
| | Open Water Pursuit: | Compete as a solo athlete or compete with a 3-person team (Trio Teams) or a 4-person team (Quad Squad) in Marine Stadium, either on the 2K (one loop) and/or 4K (two loop) course. Solo athletes begin together while Trio Teams and Quad Squads have staggered starts (30 seconds between each team). | | Sea Sprints: | Drop-dead sprints from the floating pontoons in the middle of Marine Stadium to the shore. | | |
| | Host Hotel: | Long Beach Marriott is offering a special $119 per night discount rate for the USA Swimming National Open Water Swimming Championships. Ask for the "USA Swimming Nationals" discount when making reservations by telephone or email. | | |
| | Parking and Directions: | There is limited parking available in the Marine Stadium lots. However, there is additional parking located very close on Colorado Lagoon and street parking along Appian Way. | | | Southbound Pacific Coast Highway - Going South on Pacific Coast Highway, turn right onto Bellflower Blvd. Turn right onto Colorado Street. Turn left on Nieto Ave. Turn left on Appian Way. Marine Stadium will be on the left. | | | Northbound Pacific Coast Highway - Going North on Pacific Coast Highway, turn left onto 2nd Street. From 2nd Street, merge right onto Appian Way exit. Turn left onto Appian Way. Marine Stadium will be on the right. | | | Southbound I-405 Freeway - Take I-405 South, exit Bellflower Blvd and turn left. Turn right onto Bellflower Blvd. Turn left on Nieto Ave. Turn left on Appian Way. Marine Stadium will be on the left. | | | Northbound I-405 Freeway - Take I-405 North, merge onto 7th Street exit – exit Studebaker Rd. Turn left onto Studebaker Rd. Turn right onto Westminster Ave (turns into 2nd Street). From 2nd Street, merge right onto Appian Way exit. Turn left onto Appian Way. Marine Stadium will be on the right. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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