2015 Change Your Latitude – 57* North Open Water Challenge Registration is Open!
What are you going to swim? 1k, 3k, 6k or the 10k? Anyone out there brave enough to swim the course “naked”?
Register at: bbsc.mycustomevent.com
2014 was the biggest crowd we have had yet to swim in Sitka Sound for Change Your Latitude. Will 2015 be even bigger? We sure hope so!
2015’s proceeds will be dedicated to the Baranof Barracudas Swim Club Scholarship program. Scholarships are given to swimmers in need of financial assistance to swim and compete in USA Swimming age group program. Race organizers and sponsors are excited about this dedication this year and if you are feeling a little extra generous please consider a donation to the program as well. All added donations to BBSC with your registration will go 100% to the Scholarship Program. We thank you from the bottoms of our hearts and the pool where we continue our decades long tradition of high quality, professional coaching and technique instruction for all ages and abilities.
Here’s to inspiring the next generation of open water swimmers!
Change Your Latitude 
Just curious if snorkels are allowed? How about thermal gloves and swim helmets if no wetsuit is worn?
snorkels are not allowed. We generally go with the USMS Open Water rules even though the event is not sanctioned. We have allowed some swimmers to wear gloves in the races but they are not recorded the same in our finish results and aren’t eligible for prizes.
Too bad snorkels are not allowed. Using a swimmers snorkel has gotten me swimming again after many debilitating neck injuries. Perhaps you could reconsider the use of snorkels to allow persons with neck injuries to swim the Change Your Latitude?
Susie,
We could allow the use of a snorkel with a doctors verification of need. I will have to confirm with the race committee about how your results would be recorded. While the race isn’t a sanctioned event of USMS we do try to conform to the open water rules that FINA and USMS go by. contact me at bbsc.sikta at gmail.com with further questions or comments, I get those messages right away.
Best.
Kevin
So what’s the water temperature? I see “mid-50s” and 52 mentioned. Is that the range? Or can it be 33? Seems to me that’s an important part of the information….especially if you want to do the 10K.
James,
Water temps vary from year to year, last year being fairly warm @ 65d and in some years past under 60 for portions of the swim. We try to update swimmers via our Facebook page of temps as the race nears.
Kevin
Are there wetsuits for people to borrow/rent on site? I’d love to give this race a try, but I don’t own a wetsuit and don’t want to invest $300 in one until I know I’m going to do more than one open water swim a year…
Elena,
We do not provide wetsuits for this race. However, Xterra Wetsuits has been a race sponsor with us for 6 years and we love their wetsuits! Xterra has great prices on their suits and as a Change Your Latitude Sponsor they offer our swimmers a special discount! For the Vortex fullsuit their generous offer brings it to less than $120! I have used a Vortex myself for years as my training suit and love it! Check out their suits at http://www.xterrawetsuits.com
I believe that I am registered for this event, but I am not sure. Could someone confirm for me that I am? Thank you, Ranie Pearce
I am interested, but what about covid and currents..also i dont use a wetsuit, but i do wear non thermal gloves and a very thin tri race cap, would i be eligible for prizes and awards?
Hi Sandy,
Caps are fine, though we do provide a latex color coded cap that helps us identify swimmers and their course distance. The gloves I would have to know more about but if they do not provide additional “webbing” in the fingers I don’t see a problem with wearing them. Covid is obviously a big concern for us here, particularly with our remote island location and we will be tracking the status and progress of recovery efforts in the US. We are hopeful that by August things will be okay for us to hold our event. If we are not able to we will offer a refund or a “coupon” for 2022.
Please let me know if you have other questions. Happy to help and hope to see you in Sitka for 2021!
Kevin
Race Director
Change Your Latitude