Here we go!!! The first sign of spring… LOST registration is open! It’s so cool that Melanie and I have already been inundated with lots of emails about when LOST Swimming and registration will start, (June 1st or so… but don’t worry… I’ll let you know!) which put the pressure on me to get my act together and formalize the changes and get the registration done too!
The registration can be found under the “How to be a LOST Swimmer” tab above.
We’ve made a few changes this year too:
- I’ve formally created a 12 member LOST Board of Directors, to give an official title
to all the people that have been helping me for years… to get more opinions and ideas in the mix… and to keep on strengthening and growing LOST Swimming! So your new Board of Directors are: Rob Kent, Joanne Kent, Melanie Price, Bill Johnson, Alex Mcmillin, Madhu Nagaraja, Joe Allan, Lynn Delathouwer Rodgers, Stacey Van Wart, Jenn Strang, John Strang and Darren Osborne! - We are no longer a MSO team (Masters Swimming Ontario)… no hard feelings, but the cost of belonging to MSO was just too expensive and many of the non-safety related rules and regulations related to the LOST Race were not open water swimming friendly. So we’ve found our own insurance provider that will cover more events… for
Melanie’s Lake O Crossing less money. So guess what that means?… the cost for the LOST Race has gone down significantly. As I’ve always said… my goal with LOST swimming was never about making money, I just love open water swimming and would like to see it grow… and it’s just more fun to swim and train with other like-minded swimmers and triathletes!
- Our new insurance will cover: LOST Swimming, The LOST Race, other LOST events and swims (Polar Bear Dip, Blue Moon Swim, etc)… and Lake O Crossings!!! We have decided that we will start conducting Lake O Crossings along the 42.2 km, LOST Route from Port Dalhousie to Oakville… the route that Melanie, Madhu and I have swum over the past 2 years! This is a big undertaking that the Board is excited… we are also going to supply the boats that we require and the swim masters… a one stop shop… more like what is done in the English Channel and at other marathon swims around the world. Lots more to come on this… but drop me an email if you are interested!
- You get a LOST swim cap with registration this year! Last year they cost $5, but we can afford to do this with the less expensive insurance… and can plow any extra money back into the club too! One of the regulars actually came up with this idea to change
LOST Swim Cap the cap colors each year… to keep out bandits! Hey, it’s not fair if some have to pay then everyone should have to pay! Think of how much you pay for all the clubs and equipment and races you pay for… and I think you will find that $40 is about the best value going! Oh yeah… and the other great idea that one of the board members came up with, was to do like they do at BMSC, put your first name on your cap… so everyone gets to know each other’s name… friendly is good… especially if you are as bad at remembering 150 names as I am! And besides, if everyone has their name on their cap, then no one stands out as looking too dorky!
Lots more info to come as the season approaches, but time to start getting your head into open water swimming! (the Lake is still a little too chilly to be getting much more than your mind into it now though… but soon you’ll be able to get your whole body in!… it’s about 40F / 5C right now!)
Cheers,
Rob