_ The 2020 Cedar Island 5K Swim:

WE ARE SWIMMING!!! THE RACE IS APPROVED AND CONFIRMED by the Borough of Avalon. We are committed to you, our charitable and dedicated swimmers. Thank you for your patience. We are looking forward to an impactful and rewarding day.  Tee shirts sizes are only guaranteed if you register prior to noon on August 11th. Registration closes online August 19th at 9 AM or when it sells out. There is NO IN PERSON registration.

LAST DAY TO DEFER your registration is August 14, 2020. Thank you for your understanding in making a prompt decision. 

Please read the updated protocols, guidelines due to COVID 19 along with the swim safety tips for the event PRIOR to registering for the swim and know that you must follow these guidelines in order to to participate in the swim.  IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO KEEP YOURSELF AND OTHERS SAFE AND HEALTHY! 

We are thrilled with the enthusiasm and incredible support for our must do open water charity swim in the Avalon back bays! The World Open Water Swimming Association named the Cedar Island 5K Swim as One of America's Top Open Water Swims. This is a list of the most unique, most popular, most historic, most beautiful, most interesting, and most challenging open water swims across the 50 states of the United States of America. Following criteria is used to determine the list of open water swims. 

1. History 2. Uniqueness 3. Popularity 4. Difficulty 5. Attention to Safety 6. Global geographic distribution

The 5K swim starts and finishes at Avalon Yacht Club. New this year due to safety guidelines, there will be 10 small waves of 25 swimmers grouped 1-10 with group 1 starting at 12:20 PM with the fasted swimmers and we will work our way back. Waves will go off every 2 minutes. Things will move quickly so be ready when your wave is called. As you wait on the loading dock, stand on the taped markers 6 feet a part and you will alternate lanes crossing the timing mat and getting into the water. The course is designed to be going with the tide throughout the event! All proceeds from the race will be going to the Philadelphia Treats For Troops, American Legion Post #331, Travis Mills Foundation, Sneakers For Soldiers, No Dog Left Behind, Dog Tag Bakery, and Mission K9 Rescue. Athletes receive an Athlete bag, Tultex custom shirt, custom Defeet socks, silicone swim cap, and a custom finisher's towel. Thank you so very much for the support!!

RACE DAY: Packet pick up 9:30-11:45 AM at AYC. PARKING in the back lot on the far right hand side once you enter AYC. Front lot for on water support volunteers with their kayaks and SUPs. Parking is okay in the neighboring streets and walk to the club. Bring all your pre and post race gear!! Plan your time according for an IN WATER START at 12:20PM SHARP. Water temperature is typically mid 70s so wetsuits are allowed and recommended for the event but certainly optional for swimmers. MANDATORY 90 Minute cut off time to round the final buoy or you will be pulled from the course. 

Check in at the Avalon Yacht Club. Wear your mask. Check in starts at the front door go the AYC. There will be three lines and cones in each line 6 feet apart. You will have a temperature check, which must be under 100.4 in order to pick up. Hands sanitized. If you arrive earlier than your time slot, remain in your car. If you see an available cone open during your time slot, go ahead and go stand at it. You bib number will then be confirmed along with your ICE contact information. You will then go and tell a volunteer at another station your bib number and they will hand you a bag with everything you need in it. Your athlete bag will contain your swim cap, timing chip and strap to be worn on either ankle, and a disposable mask to be worn while standing on the dock to ever the water. You will throw the mask in the trash can prior to crossing the timing mat and starting your swim time. Also, in your bag is your tee shirt and socks. YOUR time slot will be reconfirmed on FRIDAY, August 21st. SELF MARK YOUR LEFT HAND WITH YOUR BIB NUMBER prior to arrival at pick up. Thank you!

PICK UP SCHEDULE: 25 people every 15 minutes.

Check in at 11:45 AM BIB# 1-25

Check in at 11:30 AM  BIB# 26-50

Check in at 11:15 AM BIB# 51-75

Check in at 11:00 AM BIB# 76-100

Check in at 10:45 AM BIB# 101-125

Check in at 10:30 AM BIB# 126-150

Check in at 10:15 AM BIB# 151-175

Check in at 10:00 AM BIB# 176-200

Check in at 9:45 AM BIB# 201-224

Check in at 9:30 AM BIB# 225-250

If you and a family member have different pick up times due to you different finish times, email me for a time slot for the both of you. Those local can pick up at my house anytime on Saturday! Email me [email protected] if you would like either of these options.

*DO NOT GATHER AT THE SWIM START DOCK UNTIL 12:10.PM. Volunteers will be there with their SUP and kayaks preparing to get on the water for your safety during the swim. You will self seed by your expected finish times, just as you did at check in, fastest times on down on the dock and followed by the times in sequential order.

You must wear a mask when getting out of your car and practice social distancing. A quick non contact temperature check will be done before before signing in and getting a numbered swim cap and a new disposable mask.  You must wear this mask once you arrive at swim start. A bib list will be emailed August 21st. You must self body mark your number on your left hand prior to arriving and check in at the AYC. We have a secure gear drop on site to leave for your post swim needs. There will be no nutrition or hydration provided post event. Do not linger or social gather with other swimmers after you pick up. Port o Pots will be available in the back rear of the parking lot. 
PRO TIP: After pick up, there is time to visit a local business for a light snack if you have an early pickup time and a later start time.

THERE IS NO WARM UP SWIM!! Participants will remain on the dock and in the staying area on the AYC grounds, maintaining social distance, following signage. Masks remain ON until you remove and drop them in the trash can just prior to entering the water. No race meeting at the dock. Things will  move quickly so be prepared by having read ALL documents on the race page here and in the pre race email.  Swimmers will be counted in and cross a timing mat at anywhere from 12:15-12:40pm Swimmers will self seed according to swim time when entering the water. It will be time trial start to maintain social distancing, thus seeding the faster swimmers first so no swimmers are overtaken and passed in the water. There is a 90 minute cut off time to complete the swim and finish at the Avalon Yacht Club which starts when you enter the water so do not worry if your are near the end of the start! Swimmers will exit by a swim ladder located on the end of the large floating dock at AYC. There will be a buoy marking the dock/finish line. Keep this buoy on your right and turn 90 degrees to swim up to the dock ladder. YOU MUST REMOVE YOUR OWN TIMING CHIP ONCE YOU HAVE EXITED UP THE RAMP AT AYC.  It is recommended to keep your own time if possible to confirm times. This is a charity swim so please be respectful and keep your order upon exit or waiting to climb the ladder.  Maintaining social distance from other finishers. Do not gather, pick up your gear and promptly clear the area.

This is a counter clockwise course. The back bay is nice and wide along the entire course. On water safety patrol will be there to guide you,  as well as potential swimmers next to you. SITE and know your surroundings. You will swim out to a buoy, then turn left and stay marsh side for the open inter coastal water way. Once you are on the back bay, you will then swim on the right side of the bay/dock side, you must round the three buoys in each corner, keeping them on your left shoulder. You will round the last buoy in front of the AYC dock to  your right, with your right shoulder on the buoy and then a direct  straight line into the exit ladder on the dock.

THE FIRST FOUR BUOYS YOU ROUND TO THE LEFT, THE FINAL FINISH BUOY YOU ROUND TO THE RIGHT.