I talked to Jim and Joyce Donaldson of Elite Endeavors about the water temps last week. Joyce characterized the water as “Cold, definately a wetsuit swim.” but was not able to provide an accurate water temperature measurement at the time.
Yesterday I spoke with a customer here in the store who swam at the lake Monday and told me it is “Freezing, super cold… No way without a wetsuit.”
Now, that is subjective of course. I think we were counting on the recent heat wave here bringing the lake temperature up. The lake is spring fed though, and trends toward cold. We also do have some storms in the forecast, and that also has a tendency to lower the water temps.
As it stands, I just put another call into Jim and Joyce for an actual temperature, which I will post here.
The weather forecast for Sunday’s race is a high of 87 around 4 pm, humidity 56%, winds ssw at 9 mph, chance of precipitation 30%, very high UV index, and sunrise at 5:56 Am with B.E.M.T. (Beginning Early Morning Twilight) 26 minutes earlier.
I just spoke with Jim on the phone. He said he believes the water temperature is about 68 degrees or less. The USAT temperature ruling is 78 degrees.
It will definately be a wetsuit swim this weekend.
Also Jim said that if the cold water temperatures are of concern to anyone registered, he is willing to switch people from the triathlon to the duathlon.
That customer was a wuss. The water temp is perfect for swimming without a wetsuit. My wife was out there with me last weekend without a wetsuit and neither of us had problems. There were little kids floating around in it as well. With this heat I bet the water temp is over 78 by Sunday, even though the USA Tri measurements are conservative and probably won’t show it.
Take it from someone who knows that lake - don’t count on a wetsuit swim. Halfmoon heats up VERY fast once the warm days come. Karen is going out to swim and run the trail tomorrow morning, and she’ll take the temperature then. I’m betting it will be very close to 78 - and there will still be three days to go.
Hey…when is the race this weekend? Saturday or Sunday? I had to fly in last night for a conference back out the hub, and maybe I can scam a bike off of somebody and jump in the race if it’s still open for registration…
For what it is worth. The thermometer at the end of my dock says 80. I swam in it yesterday and it is warm. Jim and Joyce’s temp always seems to be a little lower than the one I register and I am 100 yds away from the park:). They are good at finding the cold pockets of water I think.
Not really. The rules are the rules. Ultimately, it is in our best interst if it is a wetsuit swi for s few reasons: It’s safer. People float better. In general, athletes tend to prefer it except for the stronger swimmers. It is a huge boon to wetsuit sales.
Also, I spoke to the race directors Jim and Joyce Donaldson twice yesterday- once by phone and once by e-mail, in response to a number of inquiries here in the store about the water temps. Jim told me on the phone, and I quote directly from him, “It will definately be a wetsuit swim”.
Well, in fairness, he did not know the water temperature.
It is unusual for this swim to not be a wetsuit swim. It traditionally has been, although Lew and Karen may even have a specific idea of which years have been wetsuit swims and which have not.
Also, it remains to be seen as to whether this will be a wetsuit swim. I am not familiar with the specifics of the USAT wetsuit rules except for the temperature, but Lew, as a former high level officer of USAT, is and so is Joyce as a memeber of the USAT Technical Commitee and a licensed USAT and ITU Official.
So, they will make the call on Saturday morning and I will announce it. Today is the first day we have received any information to suggest the water temperature may be above the wetsuit limit. Even then, at the race director’s discretion, they may still be permitted if my memory serves me correctly, which it sometimes does not.
