Aquatic club takes to the open water

(CBAC): Get set for the 2nd Annual Camana Bay Aquatic Club (CBAC) Open Water Swim Series. Swimmers of all ages and abilities are invited to join the local competitive swim club for a three-part series of family-friendly open water events, starting Saturday 9 February. Taking placeat Governor’s Beach over the course of six weeks, the series is open to the community and is a great way to learn a vital life skill, enjoy a great workout, get wet and have fun. “It’s open to everyone,” says CBAC Head Coach, Katie Lambert. “Swimming is an essential skill that every person living in the Cayman Islands should have.

“Our Open Water Series is all about encouraging new swimmers to come out and experience a new sport, build open water confidence and basic swim skills, in a social safe environment,” she added.

All Open Water Series events are beginner-friendly and non-competitive. On Saturday 9 February, little ones will enjoy a 200 metre Lollipop Dash, designed for swimmers 10 and under who are new to open water swimming, while more experienced swimmers can take part in a 400 metre Sea Swim. Not ready to swim but still want to join in the fun? Water Walk participants will walk the full race distance in water at waist height. Each week, the Sea Swim and Water Walk will increase in distance as participants build open water confidence.

On Saturday 2 March, the second event in the series will start with a 200 metre Lollipop Dash, followed by a 600 metre Sea Swim and a 600 metre Water Walk. The series concludes on Saturday 23 March with a 200 metre Lollipop Dash, and a rewarding 800 metre Sea Swim and 800 metre Water Walk. While the series allows new swimmers to improve their skills, it also gives more confident swimmers an opportunity to test the waters of competitive swimming.

“We want swimmers to come out and try a race, and see what the sport has to offer,” says Lambert.

For Cayman’s active competitive swimming community, the CBAC Open Water Swim Series is the perfect way to kick-start training for CIASA’s 800 metre Open Water Race this summer. All races will start at Governor’s Beach, and competitors will swim north to finish on or before Public Beach. There will also be random prize draws and complimentary post-race refreshments at each event.

The Camana Bay Aquatic Club marked its second-year anniversary in December. In two short years, the Club has grown to almost 150 members and enjoyed a number of swimming achievements, including travelling abroad to prestigious international meets, hosting a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) swim team and joining some of Cayman’s best swimmers at the CARIFTA 2012 Swimming Championships in Nassau, Bahamas in April last year.

Earlier this year, the Club launched the Camana Bay Aquatic Club Swim School which offers beginner to advanced swim classes for children and adults, as well as water safety classes for adults working with children around water. “Lessons are centred on developing strong foundation skills today, to create successful swimmers tomorrow,” explains Lambert.

“The new programme provides an environment where the enjoyment and practice of water-based skills leads to happy, confident and competent swimmers.”
“It’s exciting to see how far swimming locally has come since the Club’s inception in 2010,” says CBAC President, Jeffrey Wight. “New initiatives, like our Swim School and Open Water Series, have helped to advance the sport by providing more swimming opportunities to swimmers of all ages, abilities and needs. We are pleased to be able to offer introductory level swimming to the local community interested in learning to swim – whether competitively or just for fun.”

The Camana Bay Aquatic Club Open Water Swim Series takes place Saturday 8 February (400m), Saturday 2 March (600m) and Saturday 23 March (800m). For more information on the series and upcoming CBAC events, visit www.camanabayaquaticclub.com or email cbac@camanabay.com. To stay up to date with the latest Club happenings, like Camana Bay Aquatic Club on Facebook.

Registration is CI$30 for a Series Package (all three races); CI$90 for a Family Series Package (2 adults and 2 children, including all races); and CI$15 per individual race. All swimmers will receive a CBAC Swim Cap, and those who sign up for the Series or Family Package will each receive a CBAC Open Water Series T-Shirt. Registration can be made on the day at the event, online at www.caymanactive.com or at The Discovery Centre in Camana Bay.