We’re days away from the 18th annual Point to La Pointe Open Water Swim with 600 swimmers expected to participate on August 3rd, 2024. Swimmers arrive from across the country and internationally to enjoy the beauty of Bayfield in August. Amongst the group of locals swimming this year are 4 women that have been training together as part of our new Open Water Swim Clinic.
 
The Open Water Swim Clinic was designed to get more locals out into the lake by safely training and building a community in the pool during the winter and then creating opportunities to swim with others in Lake Superior in the summer months. Many people live here for the beauty and recreation that Lake Superior provides, but with such a powerful body of water there are barriers that keep people from swimming longer distances in the big lake.

Melis Arik, Erin Schlager, Allissa Stutte, and Sarah Szymaniak are new to open water swimming and hadn’t previously included swimming in their weekly routines. They made a commitment to this group and race back in December and have been in the pool consistently training for their race and supporting each other to show up to early morning workouts.

With warmer lake temperatures the women have been swimming with mentors Grace Hogan and Lisa Weispfenning to get a feel for the waves, not being able to see the bottom, sighting out to the island, and getting comfortable swimming in a wetsuit. They have come so far together! 

The Point to La Pointe builds strong swim communities outside of the Chequamegon Bay, as well. With over 5 clubs from across the country training and traveling together for this event.

In addition to supporting locals to get into Lake Superior safely, the Rec Center runs a youth swim team and, new this fall, a US Masters swim team for adults. We offer these organized spaces for swimming to provide access to the social, physical, and mental benefits of swimming which contribute to a healthier community for all of us.

Wish all of our swimmers luck in the Point to La Pointe and many more to come!