Greetings Everyone,
If you have not heard, the 2025 Point to La Pointe sold out on Monday August 26th, in a record breaking 8 hours. We are incredibly humbled by the response to our event and the way that it has grown over the years. Thank you for your support!
Unfortunately, this also means that a considerable number of people will not be able to register for the race. Many had not even checked their email by the time the event sold out. We did not see this coming - based on our historical trends, the event should have sold out in one to two months. Like you, we were caught off-guard. We are truly sorry for everyone who missed the registration cut-off.
We know you have questions. Here is what you need to know:
- There will be no waiting list. Last year we opened a waitlist after the race unexpectedly sold out in November and it ended up being a logistical nightmare. This year we decided to include those expected cancellation numbers into the number of entries we made available in 2025. We did this in the hope of creating certainty and not leaving anyone on the waitlist wondering if they would get in.
- There is no way to transfer registration to another person and anyone caught transferring their registration will be disqualified from current and future races.
- Please be careful - there are scammers on Facebook offering to sell a spot. This is fraud and you should not give them your money.
- Will we expand the numbers? Not this year. We are at our maximum for safely running this event. We need to be 100% certain we can respond to any emergency on the water and right now that means capping registration at 650 people. We are also capping at 650 for your experience – we are already managing a lot of bodies in small spaces at the start and finish lines, there’s limited capacity for spectators, the ferry boats transporting people, and hotel and food accommodations in Bayfield. We are thinking creatively about how to expand for the future, but for this year we are solidly capped at 650.
- What to expect going forward? We are exploring alternatives to make registration more equitable for everyone in the future. Again, we were overwhelmed by the response to registration this year and we are trying to figure out the best way to manage registration in the future given that we expect interest to continue building and demand to grow.
This race is going into its 19th year and has a long legacy. We value the returning swimmers who come year after year and have seen the event grow. At this point we estimate that at least 7,000 unique individuals have participated over the years, and we want to keep them coming back and building their relationship to the lake and this event. We also know that about 1/3 of our swimmers in 2025 will be brand new and we want to continue to be an event that has openings for new people who want to get into the sport of open water swimming in a safe and friendly environment. As you can imagine, we are working hard to make this a race where first-time and seasoned open water swimmers can swim together and enjoy the experience of Lake Superior.
For those who were able to register for the 2025 Point to La Pointe – know that we are working diligently on the swimmer information packet, sponsorship information, and the merchandise shop. In the past we’ve had months to prepare and send out this information. Please be patient as we get our feet under us before moving forward so that we can give you the best P2LP experience possible.
You can add yourself to this list to be kept in the loop on future P2LP communications. We’d love to have you as a volunteer in the days leading up to race day, on race day, and for cleanup. This is a fantastic way to be part of the race energy and get to know the event. This event is successful and in high demand because of our wonderful volunteer group and we
invite you to contribute to the event in this way- especially if you have friends or family swimming and you weren’t able to register.
Ursula M. Garrison Natalie Davenport
Race Director Fundraiser & Volunteer Coordinator
Point to La Pointe Open Water Swim Point to La Pointe Open Water Swim
