Massive current this year (iirc peak was 2 knots) and it was getting stronger toward the later groups (usually it dies off by the time they're finishing the second transition area).

Is there always a favorable current? A friend's husband does this race every year and I always wondered how his swim splits were so impressive despite lack of training.

Yes it's always ridiculously fast, somewhat offset by the long run to T1

I see the river everyday, and the current that day was much stronger.

Friend of mine did the race. He can't swim worth a damn. (I'm slow, and I look like Phelps compared to him). He had a good time. People were jumping in and getting whisked away without making a stroke. Wish I did the race.

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I talk to myself because mine are the only answers I'll accept - George Carlin

Watched this race on TV one time and saw an AG swimmer temporarily stop swimming and she lost no ground to those who were swimming.

I was in the second wave (pro men) and the current was ridiculous fast. It got stronger over the next hour or so and the male 45-49 wave was doing even faster times. Strong swimmers lost any advantage in this event.

I don't understand how Lifetime can be bringing their championship to this race. What kind of championship can it be if the swim doesn't matter?

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''Sweeney - you can both crush your AG *and* cruise in dead last!! 😂 '' Murphy's Law

"Championship" = Big race where people want to go and will encourage more signups at other races.

NYC has a lottery that is many times oversubscribed. In theory, they get to capitalize off that, to fill races in miami, mineapolis dallas, etc.

Also, talking to some of the organizers this year, the race will be somewhere between 10 and 15% "championship" ... the rest of the race will be the normal

I did the race this year for the first time. I swam it in 16 min, which works out to a 1:05/100 pace. I usually swim around a 1:50/100 pace over that distance! So ridiculously fast.

As for the "championship" aspect - the course is super spectator friendly. Spectators can watch the entire swim by walking along the path that runs on top of the sea wall, watch the swimmers climb out of the water and then greet them as they come out of transition. Not too much opportunity along the bike course, but a few key spots, mostly towards the end, and the run is a spectator's dream through Central Park. People are everywhere, best last 500m or so into the finish corral. Just packed with people screaming, music blaring, etc. I felt like I was famous! (I'm not.)

All you need to know is that a bag of potato chips goes 18 minutes in that swim