Jordan Lake Open Water Challenge – Race information
May 10, 2015
Vista Point Family Campground, Jordan Lake
3199 North Pea Ridge Road
Pittsboro, NC 27312
8:00AM start time!
 
Thank you for joining us for the 7^th annual Jordan Lake Open Water Challenge.  Please read this for all the details on the race.
 
Location and directions:
The race site is at Vista Point Family Campground on Jordan Lake.  The address is 3199 North Pea Ridge Road, Pittsboro, NC 27312.  If you use mapping software please enter “Vista Point Family Campground, 3199 North Pea Ridge Road, Pittsboro NC 27312.” 
 
Coming from Raleigh area – take US64 West over the lake.  Turn left (south) on Seaforth.  After 2 miles you will intersect North Pea Ridge Road.  Turn left (south) and enter the park and then drive all the way down to the large parking lot/boat launch area.
 
Coming from Chapel Hill area – Take 15/501 south to Mt Gilead Church Road and turn left (south).  At US64 continue straight, as Mt Gilead Church road turns into N Pea Ridge Rd.  Drive into the park and all the way to the large parking lot.
 
Please note: There is another Pea Ridge road on the south side of the lake and a few people always get lost over that way.  We won’t be there!
 
Parking:
Park in the large lot near the start area or the adjacent shelter lot.  Your parking fee was included with your entry fee.  However, if you or your friends and family arrive much after 730AM they will have to pay a $6 park entry fee (it is cash only at Vista Point).  If you’re competing, please arrive no later than 715 to get your stuff and get situated.
 
Packet pick up:
We will have the packet pick up area adjacent to the parking lot near the beach/sailboat launching area (not at the shelter as in years past).  We will start at 645AM.
 
T-shirts:
Event t-shirts are guaranteed to swimmers who sign up by Monday, May 4.  

Course and Map:
Here is the course map (http://fsseries.com/uploads/5820138951_jordanlake2013.jpg) . You can also see the beach where we start and the parking lot where we park. It is a clockwise triangular course.  All right-shoulder turns.  You only need to swim on the left side of the turn buoys (so that you can make a right turn).  The interim buoys are for sighting purposes only and you may swim on either side of these.
 
1.2 milers: swim 1 loop and get out then cross the timing mat.
2.4 milers: swim 2 loops.  You don’t get out of the water at any point.  At the buoy nearest the finish area you do a right shoulder turn and then head back out onto the course for loop #2.  At the end, get out and cross the timing mat.
 
Start/finish description:
We will start in waist deep water.  To finish you will need to exit the water and cross the timing chip mat at the water’s edge.
 
Safety:
We will have a number of kayakers, paddleboarders, and lifeguards out on the course.  You may stop and take a break at a kayak/board as needed.  Please give these folks a shout or wave if you are having any problems at any point.  They are there to help you.
 
Timing chips:
We are using disposable timing chip ankle straps for timing and scoring.  Please put this on your LEFT ankle and outside of the wetsuit so it is visible on the ankle, and leave a finger’s worth of room between the ankle and strap - not super-duper tight in other words.  When you put the strap on PLEASE throw the little tab that comes off in the trash rather than discarding it on the ground – your volunteers and race directors need to clean the area up before we leave, so help us out and keep the State Parks beautiful.  Thank you.
 
Wetsuits & water temps:
The current water temperature is usually ~70 degrees. Wetsuits are optional & permitted for competition.  You can keep track of Jordan Lake water temps here: http://epec.saw.usace.army.mil/bejrept.txt

Warming up: 
You may warm up as much as you’d like, but please keep it near the start/finish area.  We will have a couple kayakers out by 745AM to watch out for you, but the main fleet doesn’t launch ‘till the race gets going.
 

Start waves:
Due to the size of the 1.2 mile field we’re breaking into a few waves.  We apologize in advance if you don’t like your wave assignment.  No, you can’t change it.
 
As close as we can get to:
8:00 ALL 2.4 milers
8:04 1.2 mile men 34 and under
8:08 1.2 mile men 35 and over
8:12 1.2 mile women 34 and under
8:16 1.2 mile women 35 and over
 
Awards:
For each race: Top 3 overall men / women, top male/female master (over 40), and top 3 in each 5 year age group (15-19, 20-24, etc).  No duplication of awards.  We will run the 1.2 awards a bit before the 2.4 awards, but don’t make any promises on the exact time other than to say, as soon as we can.
 
New to open water/wetsuits?
If you are new / first timer in an open water event, we suggest you check out the open water training clinics hosted by event sponsor One Step Beyond.
 
If you have never swum in a wetsuit before and plan to at the race, we even more strongly suggest you take it to your local pool as soon as possible and swim a few laps in it.  Wetsuits take some getting used to and your first time should not be in a race situation.
 
Race briefing:
We will hold the race briefing and course description meeting at 745 AM at the water’s edge near the finish line area.  After this meeting you will have a few more minutes to warm up should you choose.
 
Post-race food:
We will have bread from Great Harvest Bread, PB and J, bananas and oranges, assorted gluten & sugar soaked cookies, and drinks. 
 
Next events:
Our next Triangle Swim Series events are on July 11 and October 3.   
 
Thank you and we will see you on the beach!
- The teams at FS Series and One Step Beyond