Foster Lake Cable Swims
An event hosted by Central Oregon Masters Aquatics at Foster Lake near Sweet Home, Oregon. A two-mile race, one-mile race, and dog tandem race are being offered.
Please Note: For 2012 this event includes the USMS National Two Mile Cable Championships! The 2012 races will be held on June 30, 2012. Save the date - registration not yet open.
Results from Last Year:
2011 USMS One-Mile Results (Foster Lake Ev #2)
2011 Foster Lake Full Results (Ev #1 & Ev #2)
Essential Information Links:
Event Info and Seeding - information sent to Entrants on June 28th
Cable Swim Course at Foster Lake
Conduct of Foster Lake Cable Swims
USMS Open Water Swimwear Rule Summary
USMS Cable Swim Records
So What on Earth is a Cable Swim?
USMS rules tell us that cable swims are open water swims done on a specially designed one-quarter mile straightaway course defined by a cable including frequent buoys. These courses are built to demanding specifications, with measurement tolerances within six inches only, and include an in-water start and finish.
What are the benefits of cable swims? They are a way to hold an open water swim in a well defined, relatively small area. They are the easiest open water courses to patrol and maintain swimmer safety. They are great venues for up-close, in-your-face competitive racing. Records are kept. And they provide a friendly transition from pool swims to open water swims, because cable swims share common elements with both kinds of swimming.
Pool swimmers will feel at home because cable swims include…
- Heats & Waves: Cable swims may have two heats. Within each heat, there will be 8-12 waves of 8-12 swimmers each with staggered starts, much like heats at a pool meet.
- Seeding: Swimmers will be arranged at the starts by 1650-yard or 1500-meter seed times.
- Steering: There’s a lane line (the cable) which makes swimming in a straight line pretty easy, even for those who are navigationally challenged.
- Measured Course & Records: Cable courses are the only open water courses to have measured distances certified to be accurate. And because courses are accurate, records are kept.
Open water swimmers will feel at home because cable swims include…
- A Non-Rectangular Body of Water: It’s free form, shaped by erosion with some small help from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
- Cooler Water: No bathwater here! We expect about 70 degree water on normal race days.
- Variety: There may always be hot or cold air temperatures, sunny or inclement weather, wind, and waves.
- Crowds: Like all open water swims, everyone will seem to want to share your lane.
Come join the fun at the Foster Lake Cable Swims, at the only permanently-anchored cable swim course in the western United States!