It comes as a disappointment for lots of open water swimmers, but the 2014 La Jolla Rough Water Swimming has been canceled due to the construction of a new lifeguard tower and bathroom renovation. Bill Perry, La Jolla Rough Water Swim Media Relations sent the following statement:
Unfortunately, due to the City of San Diego’s La Jolla Cove renovation project and new Lifeguard Tower construction, our event venue will not be available this year. Originally, the City’s construction schedule projected completion prior to our event but this is no longer the case. This is the first time since 1959 that we have been forced to cancel our event and we are all very disappointed. Alternative venues (La Jolla Shores) were considered by the Operations Committee, but after polling (calling) a random sampling of past entrants, the consensus was to postpone the 84th Swim rather than organize a sub-standard event.
Without a doubt the La Jolla Rough Water Swim organizing committee will be back strong in 2015 and participants can look forward to all the beauty and excitement that this iconic race has been known for since 1916.
The city is renovating a toilet at the Cove in August? Really?
If you like swimming downhill really fast, join us at the 7th Annual Huntington Beach Bodysurfing Contest, August 9th, at 9th Street, 4 blocks north or west of the Huntington Beach Pier. If you love the ocean you will love this free bodysurfing contest. There is a 12 and under coed divion, all the way up to the 60 and older “Legend” division. Last year we had 133 contestants who all enjoyed the free t-shirts, free food, and aloha spirit. Contact me at 714 374-6345 , at this email address, [email protected], or go to our facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/chubascos, for more info. Cowabunga!
This great swim will be missed this year. If you’re looking for a great alternative swim, join us for the Swim 24Challenge (www.swim24.org) right here in La Jolla on Labor Day weekend, Aug 30-31 at both UCSD Canyonview and La Jolla Coggan Pool. Teams of 12 are filling up to swim around the clock in continuous relay format to raise money to combat childhood drowning. There will be poolside live entertainment through the night, food, sponsor booths, and even team RVs to lounge in. If you’re fast, grab some fast friends and set the 24 hour pool relay record! If you’re an age grouper who swims for fun, grab some friends from your club, master’s program, or company and just… Read more »
When I first heard this I thought it couldn’t be true. I’ve done this swim every year since I was 10, and I’m now 68, so it’s really a part of me, and of my family who’ve also participated. I think we can fault the carelessness of the City of San Diego, though, not the LJRWS committee who give so much each year to make the swim possible. It seems the City has nearly systematically destroyed facilities on our beaches: The Children’s Pool, Law Street, now the Cove, to say nothing of how long it took to remodel the Shores and the foot of Grand Ave. A private contractor could have completed all of these facilities together in one year!… Read more »
The city of San Diego should change their timeline for toilet renovation. This is a pre-eminent rough water swim. I travel 1800 miles for this race.
The city planners should have the foresight to plan such renovation around major events such as this.
What about all the revenue last to local businesses.
These are very expensive bathrooms.
It’s a shame – that’s a great event. Another event nearby is the Tiki Swim on September 28 in Oceanside (http://www.tikiswim.com). 2.4 or 1.2 miles with separate divisions for wetsuits and swimsuits.
Why now? They have all winter to build their lifeguard tower.
If you have been to the cove recently, you would see that the areas that the event used for staging, registration, sales, etc. are fenced off and will remain this way during construction. That leaves very little area for viewing and coordinating the event. I don’t think the race would be the same at the Shores.
Your streaks will continue just like athletes who participated in other events that were cancelled due to weather, war, etc. You will just have to wait a year to get back to it. Very sad that the city has mismanaged the project.