Race Swim ChopTank River

Steven Ford

Question for anyone who has raced here in the past or maybe just knows the swim. What can we expect for the swim in the terms of temp, current, waves, etc.

 

Thanks

 

 

Woody Freese

This was posted on the IM Maryland 2016 FB page earlier today:
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Hello, I want to introduce myself to all the competitors for IRONMAN Maryland 2016. I am the Swim Safety Coordinator and over the next few weeks, I'll be posting some information pertaining to your IMMD 2016 swim experience from water conditions, to your pre-race day swim practices, to race day preparations, and finally info about our swim safety volunteers and what you will see on the water.

Today is a brief post on current water conditions. I just left Great Marsh Park and I personally did not see any Sea Nettles (Jellies) along the shoreline. That's not to say they have left but historically by the middle to end of September they should be gone. Now on to water temperatures. As of 8:30 a.m. today, the water temperature was 82.9 F at the NOAA buoy located very near the swim course. With the recent break in the hot, humid weather the temps have dropped almost 4 degrees in the last 3-4 days. Again, historically by race day, the temps should be below 76.1 degrees F. Please be reminded, that the decision on wetsuit/non-waetsuit will be made at 4:45 a.m. on race morning and will be posted at Transition as well as announced over the PA system.

I'll post more information next week but you should also be reading your Athlete's Guide for all the helpful information about IMMD 2016. Lastly, we have worked very hard to make it easy for you to travel around Cambridge during race week; please consider the shutlle service for your transportation needs and to avoid hassles for the local community.
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All that said, I have done Eagleman several times - and the swim varied from year-to-year... Some years the current and chop was an issue (nothing major!) and some years it was fairly calm (as calm as a swim can be with a mess of triathletes swimming!) Some years the sun rising was an issue, and other years it was not. I do not recall any jellyfish - but that is not to say they didn't exist.

Not trying to be intentionally vague - you have enough of these dances under your belt to know that race day conditions are always subject to change :-)

Steven Ford

Thanks, Yeah I know on any given day things can go south. Just looking for the general vibe so looks like nothing to big. 

William Crawford

They have reversed the course this year to allow us to benefit from the current on the return leg rather then fighting it on the way out. The out portion of the swim will not be close to shore and the current should be less of a factor.

In 2014, the water was calm but it was a slow swim due to the current. Last year, the swim was shortened due to winds/chop. A small craft advisory was in effect so the kayaks and small vessels could not be too far from shore.

I am a slow swimmer and did not have any issues completing the swim either year. By way of comparison, the swim at IMMT this year was much worse than the swim at IMMD in 2014 or 2015.

Michael Quinton

2014 swim was not good to me. The current was strong even though the water didn't appear to be overly choppy...visibility underwater was limited and the brackish water is just nasty to the taste. This is gross but I threw up a couple times mid-swim and was happy as hell to get out and on to my bike. Sounds like the course has been re-arranged a bit but my advice is prepare for some unpleasantness and then enjoy the rest of the race...bike course is gorgeous riding through the preserve.