Governors Island Swim - NYC SWIM

Governors Island Swim

Spend the morning jumping off a ferry boat and circling a piece of Manhattan at this challenging 2-Miler around the birthplace of New York City, with great views of Lower Manhattan, Jersey City, Staten Island, Brooklyn, and, of course, Governors Island itself.

Ferry information for spectators can be found in the Race Day Info section on the Schedule tab.
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Date: 08/01/2010 (Sunday)
Distance: 2.0 M
Start Time: 8:30 AM
Start Location: Governors Island - Castle Williams
Finish Location: Governors Island - Dock 101/Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel air vent.
Field Size: 250 (0 Currently Enrolled - Enrollment Closed)
Awards: Awards will be presented approximately 20 minutes after the last swimmer exits the water.
3 - Overall (Male and Female)
3 - 15 to 19 (Male and Female)
3 - 20 to 29 (Male and Female)
3 - 30 to 39 (Male and Female)
3 - 40 to 49 (Male and Female)
3 - 50 to 59 (Male and Female)
3 - 60 and over (Male and Female)
Medals for all participants.
Fees: $80 December 15 – December 25, 2009
$90 December 26, 2009 – January 31, 2010
$100 February 1 – June 30, 2010
$105 July 1 – July 25, 2010
$115 July 26 – July 30, 2010

Entries open on December 15, 2009 at 1:00 PM EST
and close (unless full prior) on July 30, 2010 at 8:30 AM EST.
Directions to Start: Important Instructions
The special ferry to Governors Island departs from the Battery Maritime Building at the corner of South and Whitehall Streets at approximately 6:45 AM the morning of the race. Swimmer check-in will take place at the ferry terminal from 5:45 to 6:30 AM. Please allow ample time to arrive at the ferry terminal — if you miss this ferry, you will miss the race. Travel information for spectators can be found in the Race Day Info section here.

By Car:
From the East Side: Take the FDR Drive to Exit 1, South Ferry. As you exit, stay in the left lane and turn left around the (left) u-turn at the end of the street in front of the Staten Island Ferry terminal. The Battery Maritime Building is the historic ferry terminal just to the northeast of the Staten Island Ferry Terminal.

From the West Side: Take the West Highway around the tip of Lower Manhattan and go through the Battery Underpass. When you emerge from the Underpass, take the first exit, Exit 1, Staten Island Ferry. Stay left, and make a left-hand u-turn onto South Street going south. Stay to your turn left and make the (left) u-turn at the end of the street in front of the Staten Island Ferry terminal. The Battery Maritime Building is the historic ferry terminal just to the northeast of the Staten Island Ferry Terminal.

Local Streets: Take Broadway south onto Whitehall Street. Turn left onto Water Street. Go one block and turn right onto Broad Street. Go one block and turn right onto South Street. Go to the left land, and make the (left) u-turn at the end of the street in front of the Staten Island Ferry terminal. The Battery Maritime Building is the historic ferry terminal just to the northeast of the Staten Island Ferry Terminal.

By Subway:
Local 1 to South Ferry, or Express 4 or 5 to Bowling Green, or R to Whitehall Street Station.

By Bus:
M15 (East Side) to South Ferry or M6 (West Side) from 57th Street.

Note that disruptions to subway service are possible. Check www.mta.info for service advisories that may affect your trip.
Directions to Finish: The finish is on Governors Island. See "Directions to Start" above for travel directions to the Governors Island ferry departing from the Battery Maritime Building in Manhattan.
Time Limit: 2 hours
Age Requirement: 15 years and over (younger swimmers may be accepted based on swimming experience).
Experience Requirement: Safety concerns require us to ensure that every participant in a NYC Swim swim event has adequate swim experience; thus we have set certain qualifying standards for participation in each of our events. You may register for a NYC Swim event even if you have not completed a qualifying swim, and your enrollment will be approved upon verification of your qualifying swim details. The experience requirement for participating in the Governors Island Swim is as follows:
The completion of any NYC Swim open water swim or Aquathlon since January 1, 2008
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Any DOCUMENTED timed open water swim race of 1.5 Mile or more since January 1, 2008 [How to upload your results]
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Any DOCUMENTED Triathlon with a timed 1.5 Mile or longer open water swim since January 1, 2008 [How to upload your results]
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Pool certification in a manner consistent with the sample template, which can be accessed on your user profile swimmer page, documenting the completion of a continuous 2-mile pool swim (3300 yards/3000 meters) in 1 hour and 30 minutes or better since January 1, 2010. Swim must take place in a traditional swimming pool; "Endless Pool" swims are not acceptable for qualification purposes. [How to upload pool certification]

All pool certifications and qualifying swim information must be received by NYC Swim at least 14 days prior to the date of the race (no later than July 18, 2010). Swimmers who enroll after July 18th must submit their qualification information to NYC Swim within 24 hours of enrollment. Participants' qualifications will not be accepted, reviewed or approved on race day.
Predicted Water Conditions: Approximately 70 to 75 degrees. Wetsuits/non-traditional swim attire may be worn but may affect a swimmer's eligibility for awards. The full wetsuit policy can be viewed here.

There can be a substantial amount of chop in the water from wind & tide action. The waterways are salt-water and there is shipping traffic. There may be random jetsam & flotsam in the waterways. For additional information on swimming and water quality in the Hudson River, please see our FAQ page.

Previous Year's Water Temp: 77.90 (on 08/01/2009)
77.00 (on 08/01/2008)
74.66 (on 08/01/2007)
75.56 (on 08/01/2006)
74.30 (on 08/01/2005)