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BSSG Open Water Swim & Run Paddle Run

Sat July 11, 2026

Events

5k Swim

Time: 8:30AM MDT 10:00AM MDT

1k Swim

Time: 8:30AM MDT 10:00AM MDT

400m Swim

Time: 9:45AM MDT 10:00AM MDT

Solo Run | Kayak | Run

Price: $60
Time: 10:30AM MDT 1:00PM MDT
Registration Opens July 10, 2026 at 12:00am MDT
Open to ages 12+.

Solo Run| Paddle Board | Run

Price: $60
Time: 10:30AM MDT 1:00PM MDT
Registration Opens July 10, 2026 at 12:00am MDT
Open to ages 12+.

RPR TEAM Kayak

Price: $100
Time: 10:30AM MDT 1:00PM MDT
Registration Opens July 10, 2026 at 12:00am MDT

RPR TEAM Paddle Board

Price: $100
Time: 10:30AM MDT 1:00PM MDT
Registration Opens July 10, 2026 at 12:00am MDT

Description

COMMISSIONER:

Sean Phelps

406-647-8140

SCHEDULE:

• Check-In: 6:30 a.m. - 7:15 a.m.

• 1k/5k Begins (rolling starts): 7:30 a.m.

400m Begins: 9:30 a.m.

5k swimmers must be able to complete course in 2 hours

ELIGIBILITY: Residents of MONTANA, IDAHO, NORTH DAKOTA, SOUTH DAKOTA, and WYOMING are

allowed to participate.

RULES:

USA Swimming & US Masters Swimming rules and regulations will apply to the event.

There will be non-wetsuit and wetsuit divisions in both the 1K, 5K, and 400 meter swims.

Flotation shorts and flotation pants are classified as wetsuits.

Skinsuits/Speedsuits may be used in the non-wetsuit division.

Wetsuits will not be allowed if the water temperature is 84 degrees Fahrenheit or higher.

Races will be canceled if water temperature is 60 degrees Fahrenheit or lower.

Race organizers reserve the right to modify or cancel the event due to weather and other conditions.

Lifeguards will be present at several locations along the course as will support boats/kayaks/stand

up paddle boards.

All participants MUST wear the provided swim cap.

COURSE INFORMATION:

Disclaimer: If entering the 5K, participant must be able to swim for 30-minutes without assistance in

a pool.

For the 5K, and 1K swims, it will be a “beach start” on the north shore of Lake Elmo.

The 5K course is five laps of a triangular counter-clockwise course. Participants will swim towards

the southwest corner of the lake before turning left and swimming parallel to the south shore

(where the Fish, Wildlife and Parks building is located) heading east. Near the east shore line

another left turn will be made and participants will swim parallel to the north shore heading

towards the boat ramp and then turning left at the buoy. Those in the 5K will complete three laps

of the course before finishing.

Swimmers in the 1K will swim towards the boat ramp, going west. One lap only. The finish line is up

the boat ramp through the finishing chute.

Swimmers in the 400m will start near the boat ramp. They will swim 200m, going east, towards the

turn-around buoy, go around the buoy and finish up the boat ramp through the finishing chute.

T-SHIRT DEADLINE INFO:

• T-Shirts will be available for pickup at the event site.

This family friendly, novice to experienced event all takes place within Lake Elmo State Park in Billings, MT. No worrying about vehicle traffic at this event! Woot! Woot!

  • Kayak and Paddle Board events offered in both Youth and Adult divisions.
  • Solo and Team divisions

Super Fun Sprint Course: 
Run 1.5 miles | Paddle 800 meters | Run 1.5 miles
*PFD (life jackets) are required*

All Transitions Lake Elmo State Park Boat Ramp area. 
Transition area open to Racers: 8:00am - closes 9:30am
Place your watercraft in the designated area during this time. 

TEAMS: Teams consist of 2 or 3 members.
1st person (captain) signs up and pays for the team.  The other 1 or 2 team members must sign up AFTER the captain, using the team password created by the captain. The 2nd and 3rd member will NOT be charged.

Packet Pick Up:
When: Race Day, Sunday, June 22
Where: Lake Elmo State Park
Time: 8:00a - 9:00a
Sorry no race day event changes. 

Race Website

Additional race information can be found at https://event.bigskygames.org/bssg_runpaddlerun.

Paddle Course

800M Paddle Course - 400M Out and Back

Lake Elmo Run Course

1st Run Leg is 1 Loop of the Run Course
2nd Run Leg is 1 Loop of the Run Course

Participants will run the designated course around Lake Elmo State Park. 

 

Place

All transition legs will be held within Lake Elmo State Park - Billings, MT

Race Contact Info

If you have any questions about this race, click the button below.

Directions

All transition legs will be held within Lake Elmo State Park - Billings, MT

Race Participant Survey

Please complete the following survey to help us better understand your race experience.

Did you participate in the race?
Would you recommend this race to a friend?

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