Salty Sports Society Announces Successful Event Amid Obstacles

February 19, 2021

Course changes for weather conditions prove successful for the first stop of the Speedo SALT Series on Anna Maria Island, FL.

St. Augustine Beach, Florida – The Speedo SALT Series AMI Hogfish Swim took place in the midst of challenging weather conditions leading to several course changes.

Facing a southeast wind direction, with gusts of up to 26 miles per hour, on Anna Maria Island, FL, the Salty Sports Society staff made several course adjustments in the spirit of water safety. With course changes including swim direction, replacement of buoys, and the addition of a running segment, and a repositioning of water safety personnel, the event took place to the satisfaction of all athletes.

“This weekend was the perfect example of why we prepare several contingency plans months in advance with the cooperation of Marine Rescue officials. We have had several near perfect weather weekends during our last few races, so we were due for a test.” said Matt Dunn, Salty Sports Society Co-Founder.

This year’s event saw a 52% increase in registered swimmers as compared to the 2020 race. Thus, proving how excited endurance athletes are to get back to racing and showcases the continued growth for the sport of open water swimming.

“Successful open water swimmers are known for being adaptable and open minded. This is a perfect example of the spirit of our athletes,” Dunn stated.

Coronavirus protocols were required in order to receive the special event permit from the Manatee County Parks and Recreation Department. These requirements included the creation of an Athlete Guide distributed the week prior to the event, accompanied by an Athlete Briefing Zoom meeting several evenings prior to the race. The Zoom recording was also posted on Salty Sports Society’s social media platforms for those who could not attend. This effort was created in lieu of an Athlete Briefing on the beach prior to race start to avoid a mass gathering.

Other protocols included masks and gloves worn by registration staff and volunteers, a one direction only registration process, hand sanitizer on all tables, and spacing swimmers six feet apart with disposable masks leading up to the start line, and sending them off two at a time, five seconds apart instead of a mass start for each race distance.

Remaining 2021 Speedo SALT Series Dates:

• DeLuna’s Open Water Swim, April 16-17, 2021
• Swim Mad Beach, June 11-13, 2021
• Swim for Alligator Lighthouse, September 9-12, 2021
• Southern Cross, December 3-5, 2021

To register for future Speedo SALT Series races please contact Matt Dunn at matt@saltysportssociety.com, log onto www.saltysportssociety.com or on social media at @saltysportssociety.