Register January 1st for 2022 Change your latitude!

2022 Change Your Latitude – 57° North Open Water Challenge registration opens January 1st!

Change Your Latitude race organizers are looking forward to welcoming swimmers back to Sitka for another exciting event in 2022! New for 2022 we are offering a Sitka SwimCation to complement the weekend race, along with our famous excursion swims in the days leading up to the August 7th race. As always our famous pre race Salmon BBQ will proceed the Sunday event and of course all of our swim distances of 10k, 6.6k, 3.3k and the 1k.

Entry fee for Solo 10k, 6k, and 3k swimmers – Early entry $100, After May 30 $140 and after June 29 $160. – All Entries are due by August 1, midnight.

1k Entry fee: Early entry $30, After May 30 $40 and after June 29 $50. – Entries will be accepted up to race day.

A four Day Sitka “Swimcation” Package is scheduled for 8/3-8/7. Package includes 4 nights at Sitka Fine Arts Campus dorms, double occupancy rooms, sack breakfast and lunch each day, transportation to excursion swims, an excursion hike and swim in a lake, guided kayak around Japonski Island, pre-race BBQ, Race Entry and post race BBQ. Package price is $1200 based on double occupancy. Contact us for more details! 

REGISTER HERE

The race is organized by Baranof Barracuda Swim Club and is operated as a major fundraising tool for the club. The Baranof Barracuda Swim Club is Sitka’s premiere swim team, offering high quality, professional coaching and technique instruction for all ages and abilities. BBSC is a registered member of USA Swimming and US Masters Swimming.

Solo or relay 10k (6.2 miles) and 6.6K (4.1 miles) and 3.3k (2 miles) open water swims in Sitka Sound, with a water temperature range in the mid to upper 50’s. The swim starts adjacent to the Sitka Sound Science Center and follows the shoreline south along Sitka National Historical Park. The 10k (open to 18 years and older) will loop the course 3 times, the 6k completing 2 “laps” and 3k completes with one turn of the course (both open to 16 years and older). The 1k distance (open to all ages) will swim along the main course and returning via a designated turn around buoy.

The event is open to Adults and USA Swimming age group registered swimmers (8 and older). Swimmers may enter as Male and Female Solo Swimmers or as relays may enter in 2 or 4 person in the following categories Male/Female/Mixed.  A total of 50 10k/6k and 3k solo swimmers will be allowed and a total of 10 relays will be allowed to enter. Wetsuits are recommended* and swimmers must submit witnessed proof of a continuous one (1) hour swim in water at or below 60 degrees Fahrenheit OR have a 2000m/2200y swim time of less than 40 mins. A letter by the individual’s swim coach or open water training coordinator attesting to the competitor’s ability to complete a swim in these conditions will be accepted. *The race staff may make exceptions to allow some swimmers to compete without wetsuits. Exceptions will be granted only to individuals who have proven experience (satisfactory to the race staff) with swimming in cold water races (below 60 degrees) without a wetsuit. Wetsuit waiver requests must be submitted to the Race Director at least (14) fourteen days prior to the event.

10k/6k/3k and 1k swims will have support and kayak boats scattered throughout the course. Swimmers are welcome to provide their own or race organizers can arrange for a limited number of boats and/or volunteer kayakers for those who desire. We will do our best to make kayaks available, either through rental or on loan from event sponsors.

Swimmers must swim on either the left or the right side of the kayak. NO KAYAK DRAFTING WILL BE ALLOWED. Drafting is defined as “the carrying of a swimmer by the wake of the escort boat, kayak, or other non swimming member registered in the event” If any team engages in drafting, and a complaint by another team is lodged and upheld, the drafting team will be disqualified.

A banquet and pre-race meeting will take place the Saturday before the race.

The pre-race meeting is MANDATORY for SOLO SWIMMERS AND THE SKIPPERS OF EACH ESCORT CRAFT. The purpose of the meeting is to review the race course, last minute changes, and instructions for the start of the race, pick-up and sale of individual t-shirts, caps, banquet tickets, meet your skipper.