The 41st annual Waikiki Roughwater Swim will be held on America’s Labor Day, September 6th, starting at the foot of the Diamond Head volcano and stretching across Waikiki Bay.
For the first time in its 41-year history, the Waikiki Roughwater Swim will offer a post-race buffet overlooking one of the world’s most famous beaches.
Also new this year is the Special Group Discount (minimum of 6 entries) at US$75 per person which includes the race, a t-shirt, a swim cap and the buffet lunch – a marvelous reward after the 2.4-mile race across the very same waters that Olympian and surf hero Duke Kahanamoku swam and surfed.
In local lu’au style the buffet will include green salads, Hawaiian-style macaroni potato salad, pasta salad with tuna, Hawaiian kalua pig (slow-roasted pig that is wrapped in banana and ti leaves and slow roasted over hot stones in an underground pit), shoyu chicken, steamed rice, fried noodles and drinks.
Former Waikiki Roughwater Swim president Fred Trask predicted a very fast swim this year with the expected winning times under 45 minutes for the men and under 50 minutes for the women.
To help prepare, the first Waikiki Roughwater Swim Clinic will be held this Sunday, July 11th right in front of the New Otani Kaimana Beach Hotel where the race starts.
The second clinic will be held at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, the race finish on August 15th (see photo on left).
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.