Open water swimmers from around the country will gather at Wrightsville Beach Saturday, Oct. 11 for the third annual Swim the Loop race.
The race starts and finishes at Dockside Restaurant. Competitors will jump into the water and swim toward the drawbridge, passing through Lees Cut, Banks Channel and Motts Channel to make a 3.5-mile clockwise loop around Harbor Island. There will also be a -1.3-mile Motts Channel Sprint for participants seeking a shorter distance.
Aid stations will be set up at miles one, two and three to provide racers with energy drinks, water and gels. Race director Kristin Smith said safety is her highest priority when organizing a challenging open water competition such as Swim the Loop.
“I’m going to have about 30 paddleboarders or kayakers spread throughout the course, 18 buoys for sighting and three additional boats … and the Coast Guard is involved to help with boat traffic,” Smith said during an Oct. 3 phone interview.
Smith created Swim the Loop three years ago simply because no similar race, catering directly to the unique community of open water swimmers, existed in the area.
“There are people all over that love just swimming in open water,” Smith said. “They’ll fly halfway around the world to swim in an open water race. … That’s their niche.”
In its first year, Swim the Loop drew around 40 competitors. This year, more than 150 racers from 11 states have already signed up, coming from as far away as Minnesota. Smith hopes that growing trend will continue during the coming years.
“My goal is to eventually sanction [the race] through USA Swimming,” she said, “so that will probably bring in some bigger names.”
Local competitor Todd Pletcher said it is not unusual for open water swimmers to travel across the country for a race, because the sport’s appeal lies in the excitement of exploring new bodies of water.
“Open water swimmers are adventure people,” Pletcher said during an Oct. 3 phone interview. “There aren’t any open water swims out there that are boring. … They’re all in beautiful locations.”
Smith said the Wrightsville Beach location is one of the reasons Swim the Loop is growing so quickly.
After climbing out of the water at Dockside Restaurant, competitors will be treated to a post-race celebration. Awards will be handed out to the top three finishers in each age group, but all participants will walk away with a swim cap and a T-shirt.
“The last couple years, people just hung out for a while,” Smith said. “Last year, I was there for three or four hours after the races ended. Swimmers are just really cool. … We definitely know how to have a good time.”
In a sport with the playing field of coastal waters, it is only natural that proceeds from the race benefit an organization that maintains the coastline, Smith added. She plans to donate $1,000 of the entry fees to the North Carolina Coastal Federation.
“I see where the money goes so I definitely support them,” Smith said. “I want to take some of our proceeds and put it back into our coast because this race wouldn’t happen if it weren’t for a clean coast.”
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