We regret to inform you that the 2024 Swim de Mayo has been canceled due to safety concerns
Participant safety is our priority. North Texas has had the wettest start to spring in 22 years. Joe Pool Lake is 2½ feet over pool stage. This body of water is an overflow lake for the Army Corps of Engineers so no water has been released. The creeks in the vicinity of Lynn Creek Park where the event is located are overflowing their banks and pouring debris onto what would be the swim course. With more rain expected over the next 3 days, the situation will only get worse before it gets better. The decision to cancel was based on a conversation between the Lake Parks Superintendent and our Safety director, who voiced significant concern about the amount of debris in the water.
This was not an easy decision for our race team to make, though the safety of our swimmers will always remain our top priority. To those who have registered for this event, please check your email for further information.
We wish you all the best with your open water swim season and hope to see you back in Grand Prairie, under better circumstances, next May!
Frank Cortese and Jacky Merianos
Race Director and Safety Director
Place
Grand Prairie, TX US 75052
Description
North Texas Masters Swimming welcomes you to our Second Annual Swim de Mayo! We are very excited to bring this open water race back for its second year. This year's Swim de Mayo event will serve as the 2nd stop on the 2024 USMS South Central Zone Open Water Grand Prix challenge.
This open water swim will have three distances offered for the open water newcomer, all the way to the experienced open water swimmer:
The Pequeña: 1.25K swim
The Media: 2.5K swim
The Grande: 5K swim
This event is put on by North Texas Masters Swimming for United States Masters Swimming participants.
Event Sanction: 264-W001
Event Director: Frank Cortese, frank.cortese@northtexasmasters.org
Safety Director: Jacky Merianos, jacky.merianos@northtexasmasters.org
Location
The venue of our swim is Joe Pool Lake, located in Lynn Creek Park, Grand Prairie, TX. The address to the park is Lynn Creek Pkwy, Grand Prairie, TX 75052.
The race will be taking place at Pavilion 3 in the park; there will be signs and volunteers guiding you to the parking lot once you have entered. Entry for one car is included with your swim registration; additional cars are $20 per car. Restroom facilities for men and women are available right near the starting line of the race. There are no showers located on site.
Very limited shaded seating will be available, though there will be plenty of open space for spectators to use and spread out on. We recommend all spectators come prepared with camp chairs, blankets, canopy tents and any other portable items to make their visit comfortable.
Race Course
The race course will be a 1.25K triangular course. All swimmers will start and finish at the same location (see map). All races will begin and finish in-water in approximately 5-7 ft water.
- Pequeña swimmers (1.25K) will be swimming one loop around the triangular course.
- Media swimmers (2.5K) will be swimming two loops around the triangular course.
- Grande swimmers (5K) will be swimming four loops around the triangular course.
Event Timeline
Race check in, packet pick up and numbering will be held from 7:15-7:45am at the start and finish area. The race course will be open from 7:30AM – 8AM for pre-race warmup. Safety kayakers will be on course during our scheduled warmup times.
A pre-race briefing will be held for all competitors at 8:00am at the start and finish area. Swimmers will be able to enter the water 5 minutes prior to race start to go to starting line.
The Grande (5K) will start at 8:15am
The Media (2.5K) will start at 8:20am
The Pequeña (1.25 K) will start at 8:25am
All Pequeña and Media swimmers will have 2.5 hours to complete their swim. All Grande swimmers must be on their last triangle loop at the 2.5 hour mark or they will be asked to exit the course.
Post-race breakfast tacos and coffee, and awards to follow the conclusion of each wave in the park pavilion!
Race Safety
It is imperative that each swimmer is comfortable and confident in open water. All participants should be able to swim 1 mile in under 1 hour in a swimming pool.
Out of safety for other swimmers, the use of swim aids are prohibited (tow buoy, pull buoy, fins, etc.). We do not want any athletes to get kicked with a fin or tangled up in another individual's buoy during the race. The use of wetsuits are welcomed, though swimmers using wetsuits will not be eligible for awards.
Each swimmer will be provided with a bright colored event swim cap that they must wear during their race. These caps allow meet and safety personnel to easily identify swimmers in the water.
Grande Swimmers will be in green caps
Media swimmers will be in yellow caps
Pequeña swimmers will be in pink caps
The race course will be marked with 3 large yellow turn buoys. Each turn will be a left turn (counter-clockwise) and each swimmer must go around each buoy. There will be lifeguards and support staff both on the course and on land. Support staff in the water will be dispersed between 4 kayaks and 1 motorized boat. EMTs will be on site for the event in case of an emergency medical situation.
All safety staff and race officials will be communicating through radios during the duration of the race. In case there is an event-wide emergency, safety staff will use an air horn to get the attention of all race participants.
In the case of thunderstorms in the area; if lightning is located within 8 miles of the venue prior to the race or determined to be approaching the area, the event may be delayed. If lightning strikes within 8 miles during the race; the race official will sound an air horn and message all safety staff to stop and remove swimmers at the nearest land point. This will effectively end the race for competitors still swimming.
Entry Fee
Race registration will be available to participants online. Mail entries will not be accepted. All online entries will be confirmed by email from Runsignup.
Registration
Online entries will close on Friday, May 3rd at 11:59PM (CST). To align with our safety plan, this race will be capped at 100 participants. In the case we reach capacity before Friday, May 3rd, we will close online registration at that time.
If we have not hit our race capacity by race day, we will accept day-of registration for USMS members only on site for $75. Day of registration will remain open until we hit 100 swimmers or until 8AM, whichever occurs first. Please email our meet director and/or check the North Texas Facebook Group the week of the race to see the status of day of registration.
Cancelation/No-Show Policy
No fines or penalties will be assessed for swimmers who no-show/scratch out of the event. No refunds will be issued.
What’s included in my Race Registration?
All registered participants will receive a race swim cap, access to post-race snacks (granola bars, fruit, Gatorade, etc.), and post-swim breakfast tacos. Registration will also include some surprise race swag.
Awards
Awards will be given to the top three male and female finishers in each race (1.25K, 2.5K and 5K). Reminder, swimmers wearing wetsuits will not be eligible for awards.
Race Shirts
Tee-shirts will be available for purchase during registration for $18. We will have a limited number for sale on site the morning of the race for $25.
Race Contact Info
If you have any questions about this race, click the button below.
