They say that New York City never sleeps. It is certainly true in open water swimming.
As ten top marathon swimmers, including Dave Barra and other English Channel and Catalina Channel swimmers, prepare themselves for the 2010 season-ending 17.5-mile Ederle Swim from New York to New Jersey, another group of swimmers are in the final stages of preparing their applications for the 2011 Manhattan Island Marathon Swim.
In terms of experience, it is quite a formidable field that will end the 2010 NYC Swim season – which continues to grow.
Since 1995 when there were 36 swimmers participating in one swim series event other than the Manhattan Island Marathon Swim, NYC Swim now attracts over 2,100 swimmers to 11 annual events including swims built around some of New York’s most recognizable landmarks, such as the Brooklyn Bridge and the Statue of Liberty.
So as the swimmers are gearing up for the Ederle Swim, many others around the world are putting the final touches on their Manhattan Island Marathon Swim application – a competitive process itself.
Aside from a few special cases, most applications are considered on a first-completed basis that opens at 1:00 pm New York time on Monday, November 1st. Three Swim Free™ slots, frequent participant relay applicants, corporate relay applicants and fundraising relay applicants open at 1:00 pm New York time on Sunday, October 24th.
Southern California native, born 1962, is the creator of the WOWSA Awards, Oceans Seven, Openwaterpedia, Citrus Corps, World Open Water Swimming Association, Daily News of Open Water Swimming, Global Open Water Swimming Conference. He is Chief Executive Officer of KAATSU Global and KAATSU Research Institute. Inductee in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Swimmer, Class of 2001) and Ice Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Contributor - Media, Class of 2019), recipient of the International Swimming Hall of Fame's Poseidon Award (2016), International Swimming Hall of Fame's Irving Davids-Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award (2010), USA Swimming's Glen S. Hummer Award (2007, 2010) and Harvard University's John B. Imrie Award (1984). Served on the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee and as Technical Delegate with the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games, and 9-time USA Swimming coaching staff. Note: WOWSA only recommends products or services used or recommended by the community. WOWSA does not receive compensation for links or products mentioned on this site or in blog posts. If it does, it will be indicated clearly on that specific post. See WOWSA's privacy policy for more information.