In July 2011 in Greece, there will be a world’s first: the Special Olympics World Summer Games in Athens will hold its first open water swimming competition.

The world championship for Special Olympians will be a 1.5K race in the Aegean Sea in the city of Marathon (a double-loop course in a protected cove) where over 7,500 athletes are expected to take part in the World Summer Games where the athletes will use the same facilities as were used in the 2004 Athens Olympics.

In support of these programs, Special Olympics organizations around the world (in 186 countries) hold fund-raising events. As an example, a series of Polar Bear Swims are being held in northern California.

The Special Olympics of Northern California will organize a Polar Bear Swim in Fort Bragg (Noyo Beach) on February 27th, in Fresno (Millerton Lake) on February 27th, Kelseyville (Lakeside County Park Lake) on February 27th, San Francisco Bay (Crissy Field) on February 27th, Incline Village on March 7th and a Post Plunge Party in south Lake Tahoe (Zephyr Cove) on March 20th

Prove you have acclimated to the cold water in your support of the Special Olympics.

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