Cascade Lakes Swim Series & Festival at Elk Lake
July 29-31; Bend, OR
The Elk Lake swim series in Bend was organized by the ever-creative Bob Bruce, COMA coach. The Cascade Lakes Swim Series at Elk Lake is a sanctioned event which includes 500 meter, 1000 meter, 1500 meter, 3000 meter and 5000 meter swims with the 1500 meter distance being the NW Zone Championship. If you swim all five events over the weekend, you will receive the coveted “Survivors” award.
Those who do this series of swims have the opportunity to form close and lasting friendships with other participants over the weekend campout. Food is provided after each day’s events. It is pleasant to eat Hardy Lussier’s chicken wings Friday night as the moon comes up over Mt. Bachelor. The Saturday night party was the scene of the annual Super Bowl bet between Connie Shuman and Dan Gray. The loser cooks for everyone. Dan did a great job this year.
Wouldn’t you like to be a part of that? Just join up for open water swims next year. Not only will you form lasting friendships and be challenged in many swims across Oregon lakes, but you will have a chance to participate in three open water National Championships in 2017 in the Pacific Northwest. Foster Lake will have the Two Mile Cable National Championship in June. Elk Lake will host the 5K open water championship in late July. In September, PNA will host the One Mile National Championship at Angle Lake in Tacoma.
- Tim Waud proudly displays his 1st place ceramic coaster award for the Elk Lake Short Series
- Calm prevails at Elk Lake in the early evening
- Swimmer entering the water starting the 500 meter cable swim
- Ready for the start of the 2016 NW Zone 1500-meter Open Water Championships at Elk Lake
- Happy swimmers and staff after a hefty burrito lunch at Elk Lake