First Day!

Lifeguards set up as people enter the lake

We had a great turn out for our first open water session of the year.  The weather was beautiful and 33 people took the plunge and had a great swim.  The water was estimated to be about 63 degrees but after the fantastic weather we had this weekend I expect it to be much warmer next weekend for our next  swim.

Second swim of the year will be on SUNDAY May 27 8:30-10:30.  This is a once a year change due to the dragon boat races on Saturday.

Online registration has been an overwhelming success and we continue to ask people to register that way. Click the link to go to the registration page http://www.onlineregistrations.ca/kelsoows/  Please arrive early for your first swim of the year as there are still waivers that are required to be completed before you enter the water.

If you are planning on registering at the lake, we ask that you show up early and register between 8:00-8:30.

See you at the Lake

JJ

Online Technical Difficulties Resolved

Our apologies for those of you who have had technical difficulties while trying to register online.  We have worked with our provider today and are happy to announce that the problems have been resolved.  PLEASE TRY AGAIN.  

We are really encouraging all participants to use our new ON-LINE Registration! To register click or copy the following link and follow the instructions. https://www.onlineregistrations.ca/kelsoows/ 

Please READ THE FOLLOWING
1. Bring your Triathlon Ontario membership Card for Verification at your first swim.
2. Bring your On-Line Registration CONFIRMATION PAGE to your first swim.
3. You will be required to sign a Triathlon Ontario Waiver and a Conservation Halton Waiver at your first swim

OPTIONS FOR MEMBERSHIP

Full Member - Total 30 swims = $90

10 Pack Member - Total 10 Swims = $60

Participants are required to pay there membership fees prior to swimming and must complete a Club waiver (on-line or on-site) and a Conservation Area waiver (provided on-site).

Kelso Open Water Swimming begins this Saturday May 19.

See you at the Lake.

JJ

2012 REGISTRATION INFO

The time has come the time is now for OPEN WATER SWIMMING!! Once again the Kelso Open Water Swim Club will offer open water swims at Kelso Lake. The swims are open to all abilities from beginner to expert.

The only pre-requisite to join is ALL PARTICIPANTS MUST hold a 2012 Triathlon Ontario membership. Membership may be obtained through a local triathlon club (i.e. Mississauga Triathlon Club, Fletcher's Meadow Cross Trainers) or by click the following link https://secure.triathlonontario.com/hm/membership.php  Anyone swimming without a Valid Triathlon Ontario Membership will expelled from swimming for the remainder of the year.

Each member MUST check in with the Lifeguards before entering the water and once again when their swim is complete. All swims will have lifeguards out on the lake (paddle boards, kayaks and a small motorized boat) following the swimmers.

The swims are mainly held on Thursday's and Saturday's throughout the summer. They are a drop-in style, where a member may come out and swim as long as they want during the posted times. Members are responsible for the Park entry fee. We encourage car-pooling and Season Passes to support the Conservation Area which we get to enjoy!

THURSDAY swims will be held weekly from 6:15p.m. to 8:00 p.m. beginning May 31 and running through until August 30. Total 14 swims
SATURDAY swims will be held weekly from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. beginning May 19 running though until September 1. Total 16 swims NOTE The May 26 swim has been rescheduled for Sunday May 27

NEW for 2012 ON-LINE Registration available! To take advantage click or copy the following link and follow the instructions. https://www.onlineregistrations.ca/kelsoows/ Payment will also be available in-person at the Lake using cash or cheque (made payable to Kelso Open Water Swim Club).

Please READ THE FOLLOWING
1. Bring your Triathlon Ontario membership Card for Verification at your first swim.
2. Bring your On-Line Registration CONFIRMATION PAGE to your first swim.
3. You will be required to sign a Triathlon Ontario Waiver and a Conservation Halton Waiver at your first swim

OPTIONS FOR MEMBERSHIP

Full Member - Total 30 swims = $90
10 Pack Member - Total 10 Swims = $60

Participants are required to pay there membership fees prior to swimming and must complete a Club waiver (on-line or on-site) and a Conservation Area waiver (provided on-site).

See you at the lake!

JJ

Are You Psyched for 2012 Open Water Swimming?

Its coming....the 2012 open water swim season.

The dates and cost will be available shortly.  Check back for updates.  In the mean time, below is a great article to get  you thinking about swimming in the great outdoors.


See you at the lake....soon,
JJ


Psych Yourself Up for Open Water

By Stacey Richardson • For Active.com

It’s that time of year again when you transition from the comfort of heated pools to the challenges of open water. For some swimmers, this transition is terrifying.
Arm yourself with these strategies to help fend off panic attacks and stay safe.

First, it’s best to rule out secondary causes of panic and discomfort in open water. These can include…

• An ill-fitting wetsuit
• Lack of practice
• Poor sighting skills
• Lack of racing experience
• Foggy, cracked or worn-out Goggles

You have enough challenges in open water swimming and racing, so make sure to address all the little things that can impact your performance. Simple things like new goggles can mean improved vision and a calmer you.
Second, engage in specific preparations for race situations, and the ensuing violence and contact. Some helpful ideas include:

• Enter local open water races and practice, practice, practice.
• Arrange supervised training sessions with small groups, and recruit a coach to follow along in a kayak.
• Practice fast starts in different water depths, running entries, and heavy physical contact with people you know. Learn to control your reaction to a random hit or errant limb with your friends, first.
• Practice sighting on the horizon and far-away objects in case choppy water obscures your line to sight buoys. Train your eyes on bigger markers and practice making quick visual connections to them when under duress.
• Use visualization and imagery to self-soothe if you feel fearful or panicky.

Finally, figure out your own sports psychology as it pertains to swimming. Just like when you descend on the bike, know your physical and psychological limits. If you can learn to stay in control in open water, you can help prevent panic attacks and more serious medical incidents.
In the most basic terms, you should decide if you are a "lover" or a "fighter" and act accordingly in the water. Some swimmers would rather fight for position and a faster draft. Others would rather pause for a few seconds and tuck into the mix of slower swimmers. Being prepared means knowing how you want to race and where you fall in these simple categories.



This race season, develop an open water strategy that reflects both your technical skill level and your own psychological limits.

Volunteers Needed

A celebration of women in sport... with the beginner at heart

www.womenstriathlon.com

Call For Volunteers

Sunday, Sept. 4, 2011

Hello Everyone:

It is that time of year again when I come asking for Volunteers for our 14th Milton Women’s Triathlon.

Volunteers are the heart of every Non-Profit organization. In the past we, at OWTS, have been thankful for the dedication of our Volunteer community.

Milton Marlins Swim Team, Milton Triathletes, Milton Masters Aquatic Club and many individuals have dedicated both a Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning to this event. Not only because that is the kind of community we have, but also because each person is touched by the enthusiasm, joy and pride that each of our grass roots athletes experience while participating. It is truly an inspiring experience to see these women, many of them first time athletes, complete a goal that, prior to summer 2010, they thought was beyond their reach. Many of our past participants have continued on to become Pro-Triathletes and still come back to enjoy the experience year after year. Lesley Grice - Pro Triathlete, new mom will return to the event that was her first triathlon.

If you want to be a part of this experience please contact me ASAP. You can be sure that WE NEED YOU.

Anna Morris - 905-691-5338 - abmorris@cogeco.ca or contact the OWTS website www.womenstriathlon.com

All proceeds from this event go to Girls Inc of Halton, and a donation is made to the Milton Marlins Swim Team.

If you have a group of (15) or more adult volunteers that can dedicate themselves to a Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning, let me know. Donations to Athletic or Charity groups for dedicated, hard working volunteers are possible, contact me and we’ll talk!

Details:

Saturday, Sept 3, 2011:

� Event Set up - time 6pm - 8pm

Sunday, Sept 4, 2011:

� Park entry at 6:30am, entry after 6:30am may require a Park Entry Fee that we will be unable to refund

� Refreshments during the event and lunch afterwards provided

� Expect to be in the park until 12Noon

� Volunteers needed for Body Marking, Swim, Transition, Bike, Run, Finish Line

Hope to hear from you.

Thank you,

Anna Morris

OWTS Board Member

We're Back!!

Great new, Kelso lake passed the water quality test on August 10 so the lake is open to swimmers again.

See you at the lake,
JJ

Cancelled Swim Aug 6

I am sorry to report that the water quality at Kelso Lake did not pass the acceptable limit on the water quality test this week. The lifeguards will not be scheduled again until the water quality has passed the test. The next test is scheduled for Wednesday August 10. For more information about the beach water test in Halton, check out this web page http://www.halton.ca/cms/One.aspx?portalId=8310&pageId=11581

I will continue to update the Kelso Open Water Swimming blog, Facebook page and send out a group email when I have more information.

You may still swim, at your own risk, at the public beach however there will be no lifeguards present.

My apologies for the inconvenience and hope that everyone has a safe and happy training and racing this weekend.

JJ