| TURKS & CAICOS “RACE FOR THE CONCH” 1 MILE ECO-SEASWIM | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| February 28, 2010 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The newly formed Turks & Caicos Open Water Swim Committee (referred to as “Swim Committee”) is pleased to propose a one mile swimming race along the shores of Grace Bay to be held Saturday July 10, 2010. This will be the first organized swim race in Provo, and we expect it will be followed by many more. Open water swim racing (in a body of water, not in a pool) is one of the fastest growing participatory sports in the world and is the newest Olympic event. The UK and US host numerous popular open water swim races, while Grand Cayman, St. Croix, St. John, Bonaire, and Bermuda among other islands have over the past several years developed their own successful open water swim competitions. The calm, protected waters of Grace Bay provide an ideal location for hosting this kind of race. There is every reason to believe that the fast and forgiving conditions of Grace Bay can attract competitive racers who train to win as well as recreation swimmers who prefer the challenge and satisfaction of doing their personal best. A competitive open water sea swim would stimulate special interest in the Turks & Caicos as a sports destination for the growing numbers of enthusiastic and passionate swimmers (and their family and friends) from North America, Europe, the Caribbean, Latin America, and beyond. Indeed, the Swim Committee plans to invite Olympic and world class swimmers to join us. Just as important, an organized one mile swim race would tap existing local swimming talent and develop greater interest in competitive swimming among all residents. The aim is to be as inclusive as possible and create a spirit of community and shared experience that is fun, safe, and rewarding for participants and spectators alike. This open water swim also presents an opportunity to increase awareness of the fragility of the ocean and reefs around us. Indeed, the event will be conducted as an “eco-swim” to highlight our collective responsibility to be good stewards of the sea. Indeed, a “Green Globe” ecological certification for the race is pending and we expect it will be approved soon. At the same time, the swim will call attention to needs of those less fortunate in the Turks & Caicos as well as our neighbors in Haiti. The Swim Committee aims to raise funds for local charities that improve children’s nutrition and mitigate the impact of natural disasters. We invite businesses large and small to be sponsors of this highly visible event. Sponsorship would bring five immediate benefits:
Tentative Course Route: The swim will begin and end at the beach access between Club Med and Ocean Club at the Flamingo Cafe As per Google Earth map below, the course will be a loop roughly parallel to the beach measured to one mile. The course will be marked by marker buoys standard for open water swims. Race Day Schedule:
Race Administration: Swim Committee will recruit volunteers to supervise the following components at the direction of the Race Director and Course Manager:
Safety: Safety is paramount. The race will be monitored from water craft and by paddlers with lifeguards, officials and judges along the course. All swimmers will be provided with a Velcro strap with an electronic chip to strap around their ankle to account for all participants as well as get race times. All swimmers will have numbers written on to their arms when they check-in as per standard practice for open water swimming events. This will help to visually identify swimmers and also account for them at finish. All swimmers will receive a colored swim cap which they must wear throughout the race to help life guards, officials, and judges spot and keep track of swimmers in the water. All swimmers will be briefed just before the race on the course and the rules. Race officials will pull swimmers out of the water if they appear to be having trouble or be straying too far off course. Race officials will also disqualify and bar from further participation swimmers who appear to cause harm, seriously interfere with others, or otherwise create a hazard during the race. A decision by a race official is final. The race rules will also be posted on the race website. The race course will be closed off to boats an hour before the race and during the race. A medical tent with certified emergency medical technicians will be set up on the beach. They will be in radio contact with the life guards and race officials at all times during the race to respond quickly to an emergency. Liability Release: All participants will be required to read and formally accept an agreement standard for such events to hold harmless and release from any liability the Swim Committee, its members, the sponsors, agents working on behalf of the event, and volunteers. The agreement will also ask the participants to acknowledge that they are fit, understand the risks of swimming in open water, and accept that risk. In addition, special event insurance will be purchased for added protection. Race set up: A race set-up team will erect tents on the beach at the start and finish for race officials and participants. The race course team will place large red or yellow buoys attached to weights in the water approximately ¼ mile apart roughly parallel to the beach to aid swimmer navigation. (See race course image above.) The buoys will be picked up immediately following the end of the race. Timing: The Swim Committee has engaged Blue Point Race Management to electronically time the event using Championchips® for electronic tracking. All swimmers will be provided a Velcro strap with an electronic chip attached to strap around their ankle. When swimmers complete the race, they will cross mats that will electronically record their finishing time. The system will also allow for more accurate accounting for all swimmers. Hard-copies of the times will be posted periodically during the race as swimmers finish. All times will be posted to the race website by next day. Volunteers: Volunteers will be sought to handle a myriad of requirements, including management of course set up, registration, start and finish, food & beverage. Security: Security is seldom a problem at open water races, but the police will be alerted to the event and a constabulary presence will be requested. Restrictions: No fins, paddles, or snorkel will be allowed. Special racing Techsuits prohibited by FINA (International Swimming Federation) will not be allowed either. Swim Clinic: One or more experienced swim instructors will provide a ½ hour clinic in the morning of the race near the start line to give tips on open water swimming and navigating. Website: A professional quality website has been developed by local business Adventurescape. The main web address is www.ecoseaswim.com. (Two other registered domain names, www.TurksandCaicosecoseaswim.com and www.racefortheconch.com, will also bring up the website.) In addition to providing information, the site will enable on-line registration and payment. Logo: Logo design by local resident Alizee Zimmermann. Local Marketing: Local media outlets will be contacted and encouraged to cover the event. Hotels, restaurants, shops, and other businesses will be encouraged to display posters or flyers promoting the event. International Marketing: The event will be listed on calendars of events in a variety of swimming magazines and on-line swimming websites. In particular, a concerted effort will be made to target-market masters swimming clubs and high school / college swim teams through hardcopy and on-line publications. Small ads may be taken out in swim magazines to highlight the event. Specific magazines and websites for listing or short articles include:
The Swim Committee will engage the Turks & Caicos Tourist Board, hotels, airlines, tour companies, and travel agencies for their support and encourage them to include the swim event in their promotion and calendar of events.
Awards: All finishers will receive a medal attached to a ribbon that will be presented as they cross the finish line. The top three male and female finishers will be presented conch trophies specially designed by local artist Stanford Handfield. The youngest swimmer and the oldest swimmer will receive an award as well. These will be presented at the evening awards ceremony described below.
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Friday, 10 February 2012
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