Just under .6 miles. The total is 2.4 obviously, they call it a "2 loop swim" but it's more of an out and back, the skinny edge of the loop is maybe 20meters or so, then you turn again and head back in. It's a very long skinny rectangle.

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Portside Athletics Blog

That's what I thought. So you could start 150 meters out to the side (which plenty of people seem to do, judging by the pictures) and assuming you swam a straight line to the bouy from there, you'd only be adding about 12 meters to your swim, right?

I don't know about the math of that but it may be true and yes, plenty of people started way outside. I swam in the pack for the first half of the first loop then just followed the course. There is a cable about 15 feet under water that connects all the buoys and the lake is so clear you can see it and follow it like a lane line, it was great.

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Portside Athletics Blog

I started wide right, plenty of clean water after about 5 min. You might want to start inside, left, as long ad you make the turn at the first bouy correctly there is no problem. At IMCDA this year, I was always on the inside, similar swim to USA although the "short" leg is a couple times longer

Just a word of warning if you are going to start inside, some folks followed the cable from right to left at the beginning of the course leading them to the other side (return side) of the rectangle. How they got that far over I'm not exactly sure but if you start on the inside and follow the cable, make sure it's the correct cable.

I started about 3/4 of the way out from the line and a few people back and swam pretty much unencumbered throughout. If you can breathe/look to your left, just keep people on that side -- you don't need to see the cable. I understand it's pretty rough as you get closer to the line. I figured I'd rather swim a little further and not have to worry about getting kicked/etc. Still had plenty of feet to hang on to. (I swam a 1:04 even with the extras, so I was happy).

Adam