Not getting emails? Find them here:
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Greetings! Just a few more updates before the swim tomorrow.
Traffic: There are multiple closures, so please check traffic maps. A fellow swimmer emailed me this morning about the 520 closure between 405 & I-5.
Smoke & Wind: The recent thunderstorms gave us a scare, but the smoke forecast looks good for Saturday. I was also informed that the Windy link I gave connected to Lake Washington, MINNESOTA! Here's the current wind and smoke forecast for Seattle: https://aqicn.org/forecast/seattle/
Missing Emails: At least one person did not get my prior email ("Final Instructions ..."). If you did not get it either, will you let me know? Check Spam first to see if it's there. Day of Race Infor, Wave Info, and Psych Sheet are posted on the website. And my prior email is copied below, also.
Cheers!
Paul
________________________________
Hello 2026 Fat Salmon Swimmers,
Madison Park Beach is open, and water temps are looking good this week. We’re excited to have you as part of this year’s event and to share this beautiful lake with you. Many thanks to those of you who also helped recruit kayakers, SUPs, power boaters and other volunteers. We are ready for Saturday. We also want YOU to be. This final reminder contains important pre-race information and the wave assignment you will need to know for check-in at the event. Please review it carefully ahead of time to help you and others be ready and safe for the event. You can also find it on our website.
NEW THIS YEAR: In addition to traditional printed results, our timer is providing live results at RunSignUp: available only once they start coming in. We’ll post a QR code at the race, too.
Swimmer Wave Assignments by Last Name
Swimmer Psych Sheet Sorted by Sex, Division, Age
TOPICS BELOW
WIND AND WATER:
WHAT TO BRING AND GEAR TRANSPORT
TIME SCHEDULE
TRAVEL, TRAFFIC & PARKING
WAVE NUMBERS AND AGE/WETSUIT DIVISIONS
WETSUIT and NON-WETSUIT DIVISION DEFINITION/CHANGES
TRANSPORTATION TO THE START OF THE RACE
TIMING and SWIMMER CHECK-IN/OUT OF WATER
MAKING THE TIME LIMIT CHECKPOINTS.
TROUBLE ON THE COURSE
T-SHIRTS, HOODIES & OTHER MERCHANDISE
DRAWING FOR PRIZES
REFUNDS & SUBSTITUTIONS
LATE / DAY OF RACE REGISTRATION
THANKS TO OUR VOLUNTEERS
THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS
QUESTIONS
1. WIND AND WATER: Currently, on Tuesday afternoon, July 21, the water temp at the measurement buoy is 73 degrees. And Windy predicts a moderate tailwind (ssw, ~11mph).
2. WHAT TO BRING AND GEAR TRANPORT: This may seem obvious, but just in case: make a checklist or pack your bag ahead of time so you don't forget anything. Swimsuit, goggles, wetsuit (if applicable), body-glide, towel, warm clothes, hat, gloves for before and after (even if the weather is warm, being in the water for a while will lower your body temp), water bottle, pre-race food etc. We encourage everyone to hydrate before you swim! Eat if you need to eat. Anything else? Put it on your list, you might not be quite awake when it's time to go on Saturday. USMS rules govern this race — the following equipment is NOT ALLOWED: fins, pull buoy, paddles, snorkel, floating buoy, music player, etc. (Sport watches are okay.) Please note you will get a plastic bag with your swimmer number at check-in for putting your shoes and clothing items you wear to the start of the race. A truck will transport these from the start to the finish line. Please avoid bringing unnecessary valuables to the event. There will be complimentary food snacks and drinks for all participants at Madison Park after you complete your swim.
3. TIME SCHEDULE: Please be on time. Seriously. If you are late, you likely won’t be able to participate. Here’s the timeline for the morning:
6:00 – Check-in opens (look for table with your wave number)
7:00 – Check-in closes
7:05 - Mandatory Safety Meeting
7:20 - CARPOOL to the start line at the Day Street Boat Ramp: 1402 Lakeside Ave S
8:15 - 1st wave starts!
8:18 - 2nd wave starts
8:21 - 3rd wave starts
8:24 - 4th wave starts
8:27 - 5th wave starts
10:05 - Preliminary Results Posted (and available online)
10:25-10:45 - Awards and Drawings (approximate)
4. TRAVEL, TRAFFIC & PARKING: Give yourself extra time to travel and park. As a reminder, the address of Madison Park Beach is 1900 43rd Ave E, Seattle WA. Please carpool with friends if possible and find appropriate legal street parking. Parking is available on the streets south of Madison Street. Parking regulations on signs are enforced regularly. Please, please do not park in front of businesses on Madison and adjoining streets. The businesses need those spaces for their patrons. Be prepared to walk a few blocks to the beach from where you parked. Also, please note the road closures this weekend.
5. WAVE NUMBERS AND AGE/WETSUIT DIVISIONS: See the top of this page for a link to your swimmer wave assignment for check-in. It also includes information on your planned wetsuit vs. no wetsuit division, category, and age as of December 31, 2026, per USMS Open Water competition rules. You can change your wetsuit category, but not wave, at check-in. Please note that Wave 1 is the slowest wave by design to reduce the spread of swimmers along the length of the course for safety purposes. For those who provided input on wave placement during the registration process, we did our best to accommodate many of these requests especially for those of you wanting to swim in same heat with a friend/family member. We will kindly request that you do not request wave number changes at this point. It adds an unnecessary variable in producing accurate results. The waves are also only 3 minutes apart and everyone has 2 hours to complete the swim.
6. WETSUIT and NON-WETSUIT DIVISION DEFINITION/CHANGES: Are you in the right wetsuit or non-wetsuit category? We have gotten a few questions about what is considered a wetsuit (neoprene shorts for example). The US Masters Swimming Rule Book section for Open Water Events is strict about what qualifies as "non-wetsuit". Article 303.4 says Category I Swimwear (non-wetsuit) can only include "a swimsuit, cap or caps [including neoprene], and goggles". If it doesn't fit Category I then it is Category II - wetsuit. You can change your wetsuit or non-wetsuit division on race day. FIRST check in at your wave table, THEN GO TO THE CHANGE TABLE where you will complete the change.
7. TRANSPORTATION TO THE START OF THE RACE: We ask that everyone work together to help get everyone to the start and we have never had a problem with this in the past. The address of the start is 1402 Lakeside Ave S. Plan on street parking. Watch for cyclists when opening doors as this is a popular bike route. If you or a family member or friend can drive you and others to the start, please fill up your car with people needing a ride or get a ride in another car if you can’t fill yours. At the end of the safety briefing, we will encourage drivers and riders to meet up. We also have some volunteers who have offered to drive swimmers to the start. Of course, Uber and Lyft can be an option as well. After the swim if you can offer a ride to swimmers who drove to the start to retrieve their car, they would especially appreciate it. PLEASE BE QUICK AS YOU PULL THROUGH THE PARKING LOT. DO NOT PARK AND THEN SPEND 5 MINUTES PULLING ON WETSUIT OR UNLOADING GEAR, ETC. THIS CREATES A BACKUP ON LAKE WASHINGTON BLVD. AS OTHER PEOPLE WAIT TO ENTER THE LOT AND PULL THROUGH.
8. TIMING and SWIMMER CHECK-IN/OUT OF WATER – We are serious about accounting for every swimmer in/out of the water. Please be patient and prepare to show your swimmer- number marked on your hands to our volunteers before you enter the water. We will line you up by wave and then by swimmer number to make this as quick as possible at the start. At the finish, please do not try to run/rush through the finish. We have volunteers who need to get your number before you pass them so we have an accurate time and so you marked as “out of the water”. We use chip timing and a back-up video camera. Volunteers will remove your ankle strap (chip) after you exit the water. If you arrive by a support boat, ensure the swimmer check-in/out volunteers know you have returned. (Please affix your chip outside your wetsuit)
9. PULLING SWIMMERS & TIME LIMITS: Maintaining everyone's safety is key so we need to keep you bunched together and within a certain distance from a lifeguard. Those who are not on track to finish the race in 2 hours will be asked to get out of the water onto one of our support boats (they have snacks for you by the way!) If we need to pull you, please don't argue. Anyone behind the cutoffs jeopardizes the safety of the event and limits our ability to bring this event to you again next year. We have two cutoff points: swimmers should be past the 1.5 mile mark in one hour and past the 2.5 mile mark in 1 hour 42 minutes.
10. TROUBLE ON THE COURSE: We certainly hope you won't have any, but just in case...UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD ANYONE SWIM TO THE SHORE AND GO HOME. If you can’t finish, please flag a guard or kayak to be pulled onto a motorboat. Of course, if you’re closer to shore than to help, and can’t wait for a guard, then swim to shore. But make sure you notify someone once you are safe. Otherwise, we’ll have no idea that you’ve left and will see yourself on the evening news as missing. Most likely, a lifeguard or boat will be much closer to you than the shore.
11. T-SHIRTS, HOODIES & OTHER MERCHANDISE– Your event t-shirt in the size you ordered will be provided to you at check-in. If you want to substitute a different size, you can check after your swim to see if your alternate size is still available. Pre-ordered hoodies must be picked up at the Merchandise Table. We will have some other cool Fat Salmon merchandise (3.2 Fat Salmon Car Decals, Current and Past Year shirts and hoodies, etc.) available at the event so check it out.
12. DRAWING FOR PRIZES – You’ll be entered into the raffle at check-on. Please stick around for some fabulous prizes from our sponsors: Anchorhead Coffee, and Sylvia’s Sport and Resort, Wild Seafood Salmon, New Roots Organics, and others. You must be present to win.
13. REFUNDS & SUBSTITUTIONS - When you registered, you agreed to a non-refundable, non-transferable, non-deferrable entry to this year’s race. We’re so sorry if you are unable to swim for any reason but there are no refunds or substitutions. The costs to run this event are very high and refunds/deferrals/substitutions jeopardizes the financial ability to continue to run this event. If you are able, please consider coming to volunteer or cheer on others; you can still pick up your cap and t-shirt too.
14. LATE / DAY OF RACE REGISTRATION – The race is fully subscribed. I’m afraid we won’t be able to offer day of race registration.
15. THANKS TO OUR VOLUNTEERS – In addition to the months of planning efforts of the NEO Swim Team volunteer planning committee, we have over 70 other volunteers that help do things the day of the event. If you have chance to thank some of our volunteers, please do so!
16. THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS – The financial and in-kind support of our sponsors/supporters subsidizes the substantial costs of putting on this event. Our major supporting sponsors this year are: Blue70, Gentle Giant Moving Company, Wild Salmon Seafood Market, New Roots Organics, Sylvia’s Sport & Resort, Jack’s BBQ, and Anchorhead Coffee. Please support these businesses and let them know you appreciate their support of Fat Salmon! https://fatsalmonswim.com/sponsors. If you have time, also check out the fantastic eateries and shops along Madison Blvd.
17. QUESTIONS? If you have any, check the FAQ’s on our website or the full official race information found on the registration page: If you don't see the answer there, please be sure to ask at the pre-race meeting, so that others can benefit from your question and our answers.
Thank you for reading through this information we look forward to bringing you another awesome event!Sincerely,
Paul Glezen
Race Director
-
Hello 2026 Fat Salmon Swimmers,
Madison Park Beach is open, and water temps are looking good this week. We’re excited to have you as part of this year’s event and to share this beautiful lake with you. Many thanks to those of you who also helped recruit kayakers, SUPs, power boaters and other volunteers. We are ready for Saturday. We also want YOU to be. This final reminder contains important pre-race information and the wave assignment you will need to know for check-in at the event. Please review it carefully ahead of time to help you and others be ready and safe for the event. You can also find it on our website.
NEW THIS YEAR: In addition to traditional printed results, our timer is providing live results at RunSignUp: available only once they start coming in. We’ll post a QR code at the race, too.
Swimmer Wave Assignments by Last Name
Swimmer Psych Sheet Sorted by Sex, Division, Age
TOPICS BELOW
WIND AND WATER:
WHAT TO BRING AND GEAR TRANSPORT
TIME SCHEDULE
TRAVEL, TRAFFIC & PARKING
WAVE NUMBERS AND AGE/WETSUIT DIVISIONS
WETSUIT and NON-WETSUIT DIVISION DEFINITION/CHANGES
TRANSPORTATION TO THE START OF THE RACE
TIMING and SWIMMER CHECK-IN/OUT OF WATER
MAKING THE TIME LIMIT CHECKPOINTS.
TROUBLE ON THE COURSE
T-SHIRTS, HOODIES & OTHER MERCHANDISE
DRAWING FOR PRIZES
REFUNDS & SUBSTITUTIONS
LATE / DAY OF RACE REGISTRATION
THANKS TO OUR VOLUNTEERS
THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS
QUESTIONS
1. WIND AND WATER: Currently, on Tuesday afternoon, July 21, the water temp at the measurement buoy is 73 degrees. And Windy predicts a moderate tailwind (ssw, ~11mph).
2. WHAT TO BRING AND GEAR TRANPORT: This may seem obvious, but just in case: make a checklist or pack your bag ahead of time so you don't forget anything. Swimsuit, goggles, wetsuit (if applicable), body-glide, towel, warm clothes, hat, gloves for before and after (even if the weather is warm, being in the water for a while will lower your body temp), water bottle, pre-race food etc. We encourage everyone to hydrate before you swim! Eat if you need to eat. Anything else? Put it on your list, you might not be quite awake when it's time to go on Saturday. USMS rules govern this race — the following equipment is NOT ALLOWED: fins, pull buoy, paddles, snorkel, floating buoy, music player, etc. (Sport watches are okay.) Please note you will get a plastic bag with your swimmer number at check-in for putting your shoes and clothing items you wear to the start of the race. A truck will transport these from the start to the finish line. Please avoid bringing unnecessary valuables to the event. There will be complimentary food snacks and drinks for all participants at Madison Park after you complete your swim.
3. TIME SCHEDULE: Please be on time. Seriously. If you are late, you likely won’t be able to participate. Here’s the timeline for the morning:
6:00 – Check-in opens (look for table with your wave number)
7:00 – Check-in closes
7:05 - Mandatory Safety Meeting
7:20 - CARPOOL to the start line at the Day Street Boat Ramp: 1402 Lakeside Ave S
8:15 - 1st wave starts!
8:18 - 2nd wave starts
8:21 - 3rd wave starts
8:24 - 4th wave starts
8:27 - 5th wave starts
10:05 - Preliminary Results Posted (and available online)
10:25-10:45 - Awards and Drawings (approximate)
4. TRAVEL, TRAFFIC & PARKING: Give yourself extra time to travel and park. As a reminder, the address of Madison Park Beach is 1900 43rd Ave E, Seattle WA. Please carpool with friends if possible and find appropriate legal street parking. Parking is available on the streets south of Madison Street. Parking regulations on signs are enforced regularly. Please, please do not park in front of businesses on Madison and adjoining streets. The businesses need those spaces for their patrons. Be prepared to walk a few blocks to the beach from where you parked. Also, please note the road closures this weekend.
5. WAVE NUMBERS AND AGE/WETSUIT DIVISIONS: See the top of this page for a link to your swimmer wave assignment for check-in. It also includes information on your planned wetsuit vs. no wetsuit division, category, and age as of December 31, 2026, per USMS Open Water competition rules. You can change your wetsuit category, but not wave, at check-in. Please note that Wave 1 is the slowest wave by design to reduce the spread of swimmers along the length of the course for safety purposes. For those who provided input on wave placement during the registration process, we did our best to accommodate many of these requests especially for those of you wanting to swim in same heat with a friend/family member. We will kindly request that you do not request wave number changes at this point. It adds an unnecessary variable in producing accurate results. The waves are also only 3 minutes apart and everyone has 2 hours to complete the swim.
6. WETSUIT and NON-WETSUIT DIVISION DEFINITION/CHANGES: Are you in the right wetsuit or non-wetsuit category? We have gotten a few questions about what is considered a wetsuit (neoprene shorts for example). The US Masters Swimming Rule Book section for Open Water Events is strict about what qualifies as "non-wetsuit". Article 303.4 says Category I Swimwear (non-wetsuit) can only include "a swimsuit, cap or caps [including neoprene], and goggles". If it doesn't fit Category I then it is Category II - wetsuit. You can change your wetsuit or non-wetsuit division on race day. FIRST check in at your wave table, THEN GO TO THE CHANGE TABLE where you will complete the change.
7. TRANSPORTATION TO THE START OF THE RACE: We ask that everyone work together to help get everyone to the start and we have never had a problem with this in the past. The address of the start is 1402 Lakeside Ave S. Plan on street parking. Watch for cyclists when opening doors as this is a popular bike route. If you or a family member or friend can drive you and others to the start, please fill up your car with people needing a ride or get a ride in another car if you can’t fill yours. At the end of the safety briefing, we will encourage drivers and riders to meet up. We also have some volunteers who have offered to drive swimmers to the start. Of course, Uber and Lyft can be an option as well. After the swim if you can offer a ride to swimmers who drove to the start to retrieve their car, they would especially appreciate it. PLEASE BE QUICK AS YOU PULL THROUGH THE PARKING LOT. DO NOT PARK AND THEN SPEND 5 MINUTES PULLING ON WETSUIT OR UNLOADING GEAR, ETC. THIS CREATES A BACKUP ON LAKE WASHINGTON BLVD. AS OTHER PEOPLE WAIT TO ENTER THE LOT AND PULL THROUGH.
8. TIMING and SWIMMER CHECK-IN/OUT OF WATER – We are serious about accounting for every swimmer in/out of the water. Please be patient and prepare to show your swimmer- number marked on your hands to our volunteers before you enter the water. We will line you up by wave and then by swimmer number to make this as quick as possible at the start. At the finish, please do not try to run/rush through the finish. We have volunteers who need to get your number before you pass them so we have an accurate time and so you marked as “out of the water”. We use chip timing and a back-up video camera. Volunteers will remove your ankle strap (chip) after you exit the water. If you arrive by a support boat, ensure the swimmer check-in/out volunteers know you have returned. (Please affix your chip outside your wetsuit)
9. PULLING SWIMMERS & TIME LIMITS: Maintaining everyone's safety is key so we need to keep you bunched together and within a certain distance from a lifeguard. Those who are not on track to finish the race in 2 hours will be asked to get out of the water onto one of our support boats (they have snacks for you by the way!) If we need to pull you, please don't argue. Anyone behind the cutoffs jeopardizes the safety of the event and limits our ability to bring this event to you again next year. We have two cutoff points: swimmers should be past the 1.5 mile mark in one hour and past the 2.5 mile mark in 1 hour 42 minutes.
10. TROUBLE ON THE COURSE: We certainly hope you won't have any, but just in case...UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD ANYONE SWIM TO THE SHORE AND GO HOME. If you can’t finish, please flag a guard or kayak to be pulled onto a motorboat. Of course, if you’re closer to shore than to help, and can’t wait for a guard, then swim to shore. But make sure you notify someone once you are safe. Otherwise, we’ll have no idea that you’ve left and will see yourself on the evening news as missing. Most likely, a lifeguard or boat will be much closer to you than the shore.
11. T-SHIRTS, HOODIES & OTHER MERCHANDISE– Your event t-shirt in the size you ordered will be provided to you at check-in. If you want to substitute a different size, you can check after your swim to see if your alternate size is still available. Pre-ordered hoodies must be picked up at the Merchandise Table. We will have some other cool Fat Salmon merchandise (3.2 Fat Salmon Car Decals, Current and Past Year shirts and hoodies, etc.) available at the event so check it out.
12. DRAWING FOR PRIZES – You’ll be entered into the raffle at check-on. Please stick around for some fabulous prizes from our sponsors: Anchorhead Coffee, and Sylvia’s Sport and Resort, Wild Seafood Salmon, New Roots Organics, and others. You must be present to win.
13. REFUNDS & SUBSTITUTIONS - When you registered, you agreed to a non-refundable, non-transferable, non-deferrable entry to this year’s race. We’re so sorry if you are unable to swim for any reason but there are no refunds or substitutions. The costs to run this event are very high and refunds/deferrals/substitutions jeopardizes the financial ability to continue to run this event. If you are able, please consider coming to volunteer or cheer on others; you can still pick up your cap and t-shirt too.
14. LATE / DAY OF RACE REGISTRATION – The race is fully subscribed. I’m afraid we won’t be able to offer day of race registration.
15. THANKS TO OUR VOLUNTEERS – In addition to the months of planning efforts of the NEO Swim Team volunteer planning committee, we have over 70 other volunteers that help do things the day of the event. If you have chance to thank some of our volunteers, please do so!
16. THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS – The financial and in-kind support of our sponsors/supporters subsidizes the substantial costs of putting on this event. Our major supporting sponsors this year are: Blue70, Gentle Giant Moving Company, Wild Salmon Seafood Market, New Roots Organics, Sylvia’s Sport & Resort, Jack’s BBQ, and Anchorhead Coffee. Please support these businesses and let them know you appreciate their support of Fat Salmon! https://fatsalmonswim.com/sponsors. If you have time, also check out the fantastic eateries and shops along Madison Blvd.
17. QUESTIONS? If you have any, check the FAQ’s on our website or the full official race information found on the registration page: If you don't see the answer there, please be sure to ask at the pre-race meeting, so that others can benefit from your question and our answers.
Thank you for reading through this information we look forward to bringing you another awesome event!Sincerely,
Paul Glezen
Race Director
-
Hello Swimmers. Only two weeks left! Hope all your summer swimming dreams are coming true. Just a couple of quick FYIs.
1. Changes? If you need to change your wetsuit status or entry time, email us. If you think you’ll be significantly faster or slower than your entry time, let us know so we can update the records we send to our timer the Monday before race. Wetsuit: The water temp today is 68.You can change your status at the race or email us before. To request a change, email Cathy at fatsalmonregistrar@gmail.com.
2. Wave Assignments, Psych Sheets, Beach Openings, and Logistical Information: Look for an email on Wednesday, July 22nd, after we get the latest water quality reports. (Reminder: We have two backup sites if Madison closes; Plan B is an out-and-back from Madrona and Plan C is an out-and-back from Day Street.) You can also find day of race logistical information on our website.
3. Huge Thanks: The Redmond Cycling Club generously donated a large supply of energy snacks to our feed station. The club has hosted RAMROD, an iconic 154-mile ultra-endurance bike ride around Mount Rainier, for more than 40 years. This year, they had to move to an alternate route outside the park; then, at the 11th hour, unplanned roadwork along that route shut down the race. Their loss is our gain. Thank you RCC!
Happy Swimming,
Paul