By Jocelyn Nokes

Every spring I can hardly wait for the lakes in New England to warm up enough to start open water swimming (OWS), and I look forward to planning my summer OWS events calendar.  There are three events I always make sure to mark in ink. I look forward to these events every year for very different reasons.

Swim With A Mission (SWAM), held annually in July at beautiful Newfound Lake, NH, offers several different events including 1k, 5k, and 10k individual competitive swims, a 10K competitive relay and a non-competitive 5k “Honor the Fallen” Memorial Swim Relay pulling the Fallen Soldier Battlefield Memorial kayak.  There are other non-swim fundraising events such as paintball.  Funds raised support Veteran Service Organizations. Navy SEALS and their Military Working Dogs line up to give high-fives as you enter and exit the water, Gold Star Families are in attendance to cheer you on, and special guest speakers get the event underway and are a part of the post swim ceremony. If that doesn’t get your patriotic juices flowing, then seeing the Fallen Soldier Battlefield Memorial kayak with name pennants of the fallen fluttering in the breeze will. I have raced this event before, but for the past 2 years I have been part of the “Honor the Fallen” Memorial Relay. As a veteran myself, and with the names of my fallen family members and friends on some of those pennants, this event holds a special place in my heart. The Memorial Relay team members enjoy working together to support swimmers of differing abilities during their turn pulling. Each puller is accompanied by a safety kayak and at least one other swimmer while the others rest and ride on an escort boat.  However, often several of the teammates jump back in the water in a team effort to escort the puller, we enjoy the camaraderie and support involved. I’m pretty sure it’s my imagination but I think I can hear the crowd chanting “USA! USA! USA!” Can you hear it?

Glen Lake Swim, Goffstown, NH is held in August each year and hosts both 1 and 2 mile races. The proceeds from this event help support the Granite State Health and Fitness Foundation supporting local recreational opportunities and aquatic safety. Past proceeds helped with the installation of granite stairs leading into the lake that all participants use. This not only makes the entry/exit point safer, they also help preserve the shoreline. I enjoy the hometown feel and also the creativity that goes into this event each year keeps me coming back! I have raced this event every year since inception and every year there is a different theme, and the directors go all out: “The Search for Glennie,” “Glennie Rises,” “Glennie Strikes Back,” “The Beast from Loch Glennie,” and this year’s “Viva Las Glennie,” was complete with an Elvis impersonator entertaining us with the original Viva Las Glennie song and finisher medals of Viva Las Glennie records on Hawaiian Leis. Even the podium awards creatively reflect each year’s theme, Vegas style dice and framed records were on tap this year! Traditionally, once the theme is announced, videos are created with town leaders and others who are closely associated with the theme posted to the website and social media.  This boosts the anticipation and lead up to the event over several months. On the day of the event local talent leads the National Anthem, leaders from the Abenaki Tribe bless the water, and members of a local dance studio take us through a short on-shore warmup.  Then we are off to the races with the two milers heading out on their two-loop course followed by the one milers.  Historically there has been a sighting of Glennie the lake monster during every race! Don’t worry, she’s friendly!  After the swim there is a Mini-Glennie Expo and awards ceremony. This is a great time to catch up with swim friends and their families and try your luck in winning swim related prizes! Later in the year a movie re-cap of the event is shown at a local theater which ends with the announcement of next year’s theme. It’s so much fun, I can hardly wait, can you?

The Wild Bill Swim Challenge, South Pond, MA is also held in August.  2023 was the event’s second year running and it didn’t disappoint! Who is Wild Bill you ask? That would be the event organizer’s late father, Wild Bill Yorzyk, Olympic gold medalist, 200 fly world record holder and Massachusetts native who didn’t learn to swim until he was 16.  Proceeds from the event benefit the Wild Bill Swim mission: helping children learn to swim and water safety.  Why is this called a challenge? Because it is not actually a race, but a challenge for swimmers of various abilities to give their best effort in whichever distance they choose between 1, 2, 3 miles or 400 yards. The swimmers are well supported throughout their swim and each participant’s name is announced as they finish their individual challenge, arrive back on shore, and receive their participant’s medal.  The Yorzyk family and event volunteers make you feel like you’re a part of their family. It is the family feel of this event that keeps me coming back. Some nice event swag and a raffle fundraiser add to the fun too.  So, are you ready for this challenge?

As the 2023 OWS begins to wrap up, I am on the lookout for more 2024 events. There are many events I’d like to participate in, but these three favorites will be on my calendar in ink!