Many of us are no strangers to public swimming pools – remember those childhood days when you blew air into pyjamas to stay afloat?
Yet, even if you know your backstroke from your butterfly, there might be one watery frontier you’ve yet to conquer – the open water.
Open waters simply means open bodies of water outdoors – your lakes, seas, oceans – and we usually don’t swim there, unless you count being dunked in the sea by friends at Sentosa.
From 29 Sep – 1 Oct 2017, Liberty Insurance is bringing the largest ever Open Water Event to Singapore, and it’s set right along East Coast Park so you can enjoy a sun-kissed weekend with your fam/bae/swim-bud while you explore the deep blue.
Here’s what you can look forward to:
Any swim event isn’t complete without a race – and at this three day fest, you’ll get to pick from 3 race distances – 1km, 2km and 4km. Go for the glorious gold solo, or rope in your squad to brave the waters together.
Work hard, because if you’re in the top three, generous cash prizes of up to $1,500 await you!
But even if you’re more leisure swimmer than pro, you are guaranteed a solid bout of exercise and a taste of glory as supporters cheer you on to the finish line.
Nothing‘s more motivating than having supporters cheering at the top of their lungs for you.
For supporters: camp out at Wave Watch, a sheltered tent to hide from blistering sunrays. If the heat is still getting to you, cool off with a drink or lay back in the swingin’ comfort of an airmock. After your pal crosses that finish line, point them in the direction of refreshments – some Yakult and 100 Plus would be appreciated at this point.
At Wave Eats, you’ll get to feast on aromatic Thai food and rub (broad) shoulders with the Who’s Who of the swimming world.
This welcome dinner is held on 29 Sep at Central Thai along ECP and kickstarts the entire 3-day event on a relaxed note. So, even if you don’t succeed in getting an autograph from the next Michael Phelps, you’ll make like-minded friends who could become your next swim team.
How do I maintain visibility in the open water? How do I swim fast in cold and choppy ocean waters? Whether you’re a beginner or competitive swimmer, get your burning questions answered by former world champ Steven Munatones at his interactive workshop on 30 Sep.
Steven Munatones with his fellow coaches. Image Credit
Steven Munatones is an author and coach who specialises in open water swimming. But on top of that, he won the 1982 World Long Distance Swimming Champion, did 5 unprecedented solo swims over 30K in Asia, and completed 8 professional marathon swims in Canada, Mexico and Atlantic City.
He’s also the founder of the World Open Water Swimming Association, coached the US National Open Water team and was the first to swim a stunning 42km across Japan’s largest lake, Lake Biwa.
So yeah, if you have any questions about swimming, he’s qualified to answer them.
Beach days are a great idea for family outings. But how much fun can you have if you’re supposed to keep an eye on the kids when they play by the sea?
Even if junior is comfortable in the pool, the open sea is a whole new ballgame. So take the opportunity to “ocean-proof” the little ones aged 7-12 by signing them up for the Wave Kids swim on 1 Oct.
It’s a fun and safe way to expose kids to the open sea, with the race being only 300 metres and watchful eyes guaranteeing their safety at every turn. So parents, sit back and relax.
Some might consider this goodie bag a close second to its famed NDP Sister.
Practical Singaporeans, we hear you. Even if the day was packed with indelible memories, something tangible and functional is always welcome.
Enter your Wave Pack, a goodie bag with freebies such as a TYR drawstring bag to throw gear in, TYR swim cap to protect hair from chlorine, and a water bottle for you to hydrate after a swim.
Wearing that TYR swim cap with style.
And by far the most important: your finisher’s tee and medal, even if it’s just to secure bragging rights and keep up with that gym bro with the “42-km marathon finisher” tee.
It’s time to gather your family or friend group that’s been saying “eh, let’s do something active leh” for the longest time and settle the next outing. Just sign up as a team for the race from now till 7 Aug and pay just $38 per person. Else, go solo at just $48.
Bonus: Parents, if you participate in the race, your kids can enter Wave Kids at a discounted rate of just $20! For full price details, click here.
Either way, this is even more affordable than the cheaper tiers of the average 10-km marathon admission (around $50+), so hurry and mark your calendars for a splashing good time!
Liberty is giving away one pair of tickets to their Liberty Wave Open Water Swim. All you’ll need to do is:
1. Like and share this post
2. Comment below the same post and tell us why you want to join the event
The contest ends 7th August 2017, Monday. Good luck!
This post was brought to you by Liberty Insurance.
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