SWIM EVENT: Manhattan Island Marathon Record Attempt

Website of NYC Swim for more information:
http://www.nycswim.org/Event/Event.aspx?Event_ID=2055

Distance: 28.5 M
Start Time: 2:00 PM at Harlem River (see below) and go into the website for more information.

On Friday, September 10, the records for the fastest swims around Manhattan (overall, fastest man and woman, and fastest American) will come under fire as the sun sets during NYC Swim's Manhattan Island Record Challenge. An elite field of professional and local swimmers will go after the slate of records for swimming 28.5 miles around Manhattan, including the ultimate and top one of 5:45 set by Australia's Shelly Taylor-Smith in 1995.

We expect the rivals to race for almost five-and-a-half hours and finish within arm strokes of one another. It should be a very exciting day as the competitors battle for a winner-take-all cash prize and a spot in the record books. Even fourth place may earn the competitor a record! This may be a once in a generation opportunity for these swimmers to try to break the record that has stood for 15 years — and for you to see swimming history being made. Watch for event updates on our home page and in upcoming issues of Cross Currents, newsletter of NYC Swim.

Course Description

The race starts and finishes at E 96, Hell Gate, and Mill Rock. Participants begin next to the small dock at Mill Rock and swim counter-clockwise around Manhattan Island and. They swim north into the Harlem River, through Spuyten Duyvil, south down the Hudson River to the Battery, and then navigate around the Battery then head north up the East River back to the start.

First Leg - The Harlem River: Swimmers then head towards the leftmost stanchion on the footbridge at the entrance to the Harlem River at Hell's Gate. Once they have entered the Harlem River, they will stay to their left or mid-channel. The swimmers take all bridges on the leftmost or central channel, allowing enough room for the Circle Line and other boat traffic to pass.

Second Leg -The Hudson River: At Spuyten Duyvil, the swimmers leave the Harlem River for the Hudson River. They head down the Hudson River towards the George Washington Bridge, staying about one-third of the way from the New Jersey side. Since the swimmers will be staying closer to the New Jersey shore, they will avoid most obstacles and boats coming out of the piers on Manhattan side of the River.

Swimmers will navigate wide around the Battery, targeting the tunnel vents at Governors Island and avoiding the Ferry terminals along the Manhattan shore.

Final Leg - The East River: Swimmers will remain closer to the Brooklyn shore as they proceed up the East River under the Brooklyn Bridge, Manhattan Bridge and Williamsburg Bridge. Depending on the most favorable tide speeds, race officials will lead the swimmers on either side of Roosevelt Island and then back to the original starting location.