The LOST Race

& LOST Mile

Saturday, August 17, 2024

Starting Locations:

LOST Race = 1 Maple Grove
LOST Mile = 1 Navy St

Oakville, ON, Canada

The LOST Race is one of Canada’s oldest and prestigious open water events, recognized around the world, and attended by swimmers from around the world as well! It is hosted by the Lake Ontario Swim Team (L.O.S.T. Swimming), a non-profit, volunteer run organization founded in 2006.

The LOST Race is a fun, inclusive and competitive 3.8 km (Ironman distance) race in Oakville, Ontario, Canada.

Oakville has become the top spot for open water racing in Lake Ontario, and the LOST Race, which began in 2008 with just 8 swimmers, has grown to over 200 swimmers each year!

The route is a point to point route and is safe and fun. It is also exceptionally scenic as it passes by one of the most beautiful neighborhoods, with some of the most spectacular and expensive homes in Canada!

The majority of participants are just regular swimmers that are up for a good challenge, but over the years there have also been some pretty amazing swimmers compete too. There’s been tons of triathletes (Ironman especially), NCAA and Canadian Varsity swimmers, Olympians, people who have swum the English Channel, around Manhattan, around Key West, the length of Tampa Bay and numerous other marathon swims around the world… and of course there are even a select few who have swum across Lake Ontario!

Starting in 2016 we also started “The LOST Mile”! A bit shorter for those that haven’t worked up to the 3.8 km distance or a bit faster for those that want to do a 1 mile sprint! Either way there is something for everyone and both are a lot of fun!

So join us for an epic morning race, splashing around in one of the best open water locations in the world!

The LOST Race

3.8km Distance
Point-to-Point Swim
Swim along some of Canada's most beautiful homes
Ironman distance swim

LOST Race: start location

The LOST Mile

1.6km Looped Course
Great course for beginners & a fast one for more experienced swimmers looking for a sprint
Spectators can walk and see the whole route!
Starts & finishes at the LOST Race finish line

LOST Mile: start location

Schedule of Events

6:30AM - Registration opens at both LOST Race & LOST Mile starting locations
7:45AM - LOST Race pre-race briefing
8:00AM - LOST Race starts
8:15AM - LOST Mile pre-race briefing
8:30AM - LOST Mile starts
10:00AM - LOST Race cut-off (race director's discretion based on conditions)
10:00AM - Awards presentation begins
10:20AM - LOST Pier Picture

What you need to know!

The event takes place in Oakville, ON the 3rd Saturday in August!
The LOST Race is a point-to-point swim
LOST Race start is at 1 Maple Grove Dr
LOST Race finish is at Navy St Pier (1 Navy St)
The LOST Mile is a looped course
The LOST Mile starts and finishes at the Navy St Pier (1 Navy St), the finish of the LOST Race
Water temperature can vary year to year, best to plan ahead and consider wearing a wetsuit if it's cold
Water temperature is usually between 60F-70F or 16C-21C

The Routes

Race Morning Logistics

For the LOST Race:

Arrive at Maple Grove Drive. Exact address of race start is "2 Maple Grove Drive, Oakville, ON"
There is limited parking available at the start. Swimmers can either park across the street at Ardleigh Park or drive their cars to the finish at Navy St and then car pool back to the start. We do not have any shuttles running between the start and finish prior to the race.
Check-in! Pick-up your cap and timing chips and get your body markings.
Race day registration is also available for those that have not already done so.
We will have info on temperature posted and will be making announcements based on conditions prior to the race. Race briefing begins at 7:45.
There is free bag check available. Swimmer bags will be transported to await them at the finish. One bag per swimmer limit.
Careful entering the water. The entry point consists of stepped rocks that are generally easily navigable but are uneven and can be slippery.
The start is an in-water start.
Once the gun goes off the swim begins! See you at the finish!
Have a great race! Once you finish there's a medal as well as some awesome finisher prizes waiting for you!

For the LOST Mile:

The LOST Mile is a looped course that starts and finishes at Lakeside Park in Oakville. Exact address is "1 Navy Street, Oakville, ON".
Parking is available at the foot of Navy St beside the Oakville museum. There is also street parking available on the surrounding side streets.
Check-in & race day registration are available. If you are already registered you must still check-in and pickup you cap, timing chip and get your body markings
Bag check is available for swimmers. Limit of 1 bag per swimmer.
Race briefing will start 15 minutes prior to the race. The course is an easy to follow one-loop course
Race starts in water at the shore.
Have a great race! Once you finish there's a medal as well as some awesome finisher prizes waiting for you!

Temperature

While the conditions have remained relatively stable over the history of the race, the biggest variable is by far the temperature.

Lake Ontario is a large and very deep body of water and in the summer months is subject to "rollovers" where the cold water from the bottom of the lake is brought up to the top of the surface of the lake, dramatically reducing the temperature. It is usually cause by several days of north winds. This can literally happen overnight. Typically in mid-August when we hold the race the temperature is more stable as more of the lake has warmed top to bottom. In 2018 we moved the race to the 3rd Saturday in August to hopefully benefit from statistically higher water temperatures. However, as of 2023, in the 16 years of the race we have had 3 instances where the temperature has dipped below 55F/13C. In those years we offered a shortened version of the race. Typically the lake temperature in August is between 63F-72F (17C-22C).

Conditions

The conditions on Lake Ontario can vary year to year and over the history of the LOST Race we've seen a bit of everything. While there have been a couple years with some waves typically the race has been flat and smooth. The water is almost always clear with high visibility. Some years there has been a slight positive current aiding swimmers.

Race Cancellation

In the unlikely event that we have to cancel the race for safety reasons (storms, water temperature, rough water conditions, etc) we will unfortunately not be able to provide refunds as all of our costs are paid upfront (insurance, timing system, swag, medals, permits, etc). Naturally this would be our last choice, but we take the safety of our swimmers very seriously and is our top priority. (so far we have never had to cancel a race, but have shortened it).

For similar reasons, like most races, we are unfortunately unable to issue individual refunds for any reason.

Safety

This is our top priority. And the biggest change we have made, starting in 2023, was to make "tow buoys" mandatory for all swimmers. Period. No exceptions. Having said that, it is best if you bring your own, just you bring any other equipment for any other type of race, however, we usually have some there for sale at a reasonable price too.

With regards to the actual race, realistically what this means is that if there is significant danger of any type we will cancel the race… or if we feel that for any reason you may not be able to safely complete the race, we will ask/tell you that you must abort the race. Naturally we want you to be able to complete the race and we will try our best to accommodate you, however there is a 2 hour cut off... but… it is a rough cut off (and is at the discretion of the officials). Meaning that it depends on the conditions. If it is a tough year and everyone is much slower, then we will take that into account, but by the same token if it is a rough year we may make the cut off shorter too. Open water swimming is not an exact science, we balance: wanting to see you finish… with safety to make the call.

We have yet to need to cancel the race, however we have asked some swimmers to abort the race (rarely) and have had to shorten the race because of the water temperature/safety reasons.

Prizes

We award our much coveted, traditional and handpainted "LOST Rocks" for the top 3 swimmers in 4 categories in both the LOST Race and LOST Mile.

The categories are: Male Wetsuit, Female Wetsuit, Male Non-Wetsuit, Female Non-Wetsuit.

The first place winners in both the LOST Race and LOST Mile (for all 4 categories) will also have their names engraved on the prestigious LOST Race and LOST Mile trophies!

AND... the winners of the LOST Race get their names engraved on the LOST Plaque!

Weather Records

2023, Aug 19 – 5C, coldest ever! Rolled over the night before, and rolled back the day after! air 30C
2022, Aug 20 – 72F/22C, perfect conditions, flat clear and clean water, air 30C.
2021, Cancelled due to Covid.
2020, Aug 22 – 70F/21C, beautiful conditions, flat and warm, air 30C
2019, Aug 17 – 65F/18C, 1 hour rain delay, then beautiful sunny and clear, air 28C
2018, Aug 18 – 71F/21C, fairly big chop, neutral current. Sunny and clear, air 25C
2017, Aug 12 – 47F/8C, cray cold, but the “Fog Year” too! Delay and shorten race! air 30C
2016, Aug 13 – 72F/22C, perfect conditions, flat water, air 35C. Stormed 2 hours later
2015, Aug 8 – 55F/12C, the “Cold Year”. Shortened it to 1k & 500m. Pretty rough too
2014, Aug 9 – 67F/20C, flat as a pool and a nice sunny day, not much current, air 26C
2013, Aug 10 – 63F/17C, flat as a pool and a nice sunny day, not much current, air 28C
2012, Aug 11 – 73F/23C, very rough, rain, strong negative current, overcast, air 25C
2011, Aug 13 – 71F/21C, flat water, slight positive current, overcast, air temp 24C
2010, Aug 14 – 71F/21C, very choppy, sunny, air temp 28C
2009, Aug 15 – 70F/21C, flat water, fairly strong positive current, sunny, air 28C
2008, Aug 9 – 60F/16C, small waves, overcast, air temp 22C

"LOST Race" All Time Records

Male Wetsuit

44:55

Owen Von Richter - 2013

Female Wetsuit

50:08

Carly Cermak - 2018

Male Non-Wetsuit

46:58

John Steadman - 2009