Phil White announced the 2011 schedule for the Northeast Kingdom Open Water Swimming Association (NEKOWSA), all conducted in the state of Vermont. Online registration is now open which is important due to the maximum field limitations.

The events include the following:

• Son of a Swim, 2-, 4- and 6-mile swims in Lake Memphremagog, is scheduled for June 18, 20011. The Son of a Swim is designed as a qualification swim for the Kingdom Swim in July. The field is limited to 25 swimmers.

• Kingdom Swim, 1-, 3-, 6- and 10-mile swims in Lake Memphremagog, is scheduled for July 9, 2011. A quickly emerging celebration of open water swimming in the heart of the Northeast Kingdom. The event includes ¼-mile and 100-yard swims for children only. The field is limited to 100 swimmers per course.

• Seymour Swim, a 3.5-mile swim in Lake Seymour as part of Kingdom Triathlon’s Aquaman, is scheduled for August 6, 2011. Swimmers are welcome to swim the first leg of the triathlon, but the field is limited to 50 swimmers.

• Willoughby Swim, a 4.75-mile swim in a majestic lake in some of the cleanest water in North America (see above), is scheduled for August 20, 2011. The field is limited to 50 swimmers.

Phil commented on the Willoughby Swim (shown above), “The swim really is a majestic swim. This year, the wind was 1-3 miles an hour coming from the south when we started. Ripples were on the water. It gets compressed by the cliffs. Waves ended up 1-foot high, with a current as water was blown from the south end into the north end. The water is so clear and deep, it becomes blue black under the cliffs.”

For more information, email Phil White via swim@orleansrecreation.org.

Copyright © 2010 by Steven Munatones