Open Water Swimming in Ontario

Interested in clean fresh Ontario lake water, blue skies and bright sunshine or fingernails full of algae from the rocks you hit, weird numbers in white on your sunburnt shoulder for the next two weeks and water weeds for breakfast ???

Then come on out, this is the place for you this summer.
Contact the organizers or the MSO Registrar for more info.

We regret at this time to see the end of the OWS at Bright’s Grove. We thank Sue Weir and her crew for the time and effort put into this meet over the last 8 years. Brights Grove Open Water Swim - near Sarnia in Lake Huron Hosted by : TYMS Contact : Sue Weir 1.5K and 3K Swim is usually in July Venue may be viewed on the Blue Water Triathlon site

UNDER THE FOUR BRIDGES 3K and 5K Open Water Swim - Welland Hosted by : Welland Otters Swim Team Contact : Elma Coulture Usually runs in August Welland Recreational Waterway (Old Welland Ship Canal) May 3, 2011 Welland Open Water Swim (4 Bridge Swim) Provincial OWS Championships 3K, 5K, 10K Meet Package and Information hosted by the Welland Masters Swim Team and Brock Aquatics has been sanctioned by the MSO for August 7, 2011.

Annual Open Water Cable Swim 1000 Islands Y Swim Masters Contact : Marion Wyatt The circuit is a 500m cable swim course in the St. Lawrence River at the East beach of St. Lawrence Park, located in the west-end of Brockville. Usually held in August

St Marys Quarry - St Marys Dear OWS afficionados: It is now clear that London Silver Dolphins will not be continuing to run the 5 km St Marys swims in the future. While the swim may be continued by the aquatics group of the town of St Marys, a swim generally needs to be run sucessfully for two-years-or-so before it can be considered for sanction as an MSO championship. I wish to thank everyone who has been so supportive during the years since its inception in 1982 by Robert Miles, Don Hambley, Bryan Finlay and other members of those early UWO Aquatic Masters. It ran without hitting a Rain Day for 27 years, with 22 of those years as an MSO championship. In recent years, it has survived largely through the continued support of Karen Stoddart, John Potocska and particularly SNC officials who have supported it so enthusiastically over so many years. Among the officials, we must thank: Harold Kennedy Bill Gauld Margaret Galbraith Iain Richardson Dave Davidson Brian Davidson Dave Bloch-Hansen Jeff Kafka Art Hinton Gerry Thomas Greg Taylor and everybody who contributed each year as volunteer Counter / Timers. Many family members and friends helped as Food Officials and Counter / Timers. Not surprisingly in 27 years, our children have grown-up, got married, relocated, and now have families of their own. They do, however, remember with fondness their days at the St Marys 5 km swims. We must also honour Lynn Marshall for having her name on the Fastest Woman trophy for an amazing 18 years, and having been beaten only once (by only 20 seconds) by a man (who happened to be 16 years younger !). And on the Oldest Man trophy we find the name of Ken Marchant 17 times, with the last entry at age 80 . . . 5 km at age 80. After completing a few laps at age 81, he told us he would have completed the whole course if his training hadn't been interrupted when he got married that year ! And thanks so much to Ken for the hand-made commemorative cushion that he awarded to me after my 2002 Channel attempt - I treasure it and the memory of the generosity of Ken and his family. Lots of other stats that you can find on our web site at: http://soloswims.com/st-marys.htm Under less-pressured times, a poem might be forthcoming . . . The web site will survive for a few years, and I hope to add to the historical data . . . that's a one-man job that's easier to manage as time arises ! Thanks everyone for your love of a sport that is so close to my heart, Bryan Finlay. St. Mary's 2000 Bryan Finlay after completing the 5K doing breast stroke (of course)

For more of this kind of swimming check out the Solo Swims of Ontario website or the Channel Swimming website.

And, as always there is a plethora of information from USMS : a calendar, a list of championships, the rules and a manual.