Open Water Swim Race and Festival to Honor Our Veterans
Bring your family and friends to support you!
Live 1K, 5K and 10K Individual Swims/10K Team Relay Swim
Join us Saturday, July 10, 2021 at Wellington State Park, on beautiful Newfound Lake, in Bristol, NH, the cleanest lake in the Northeast U.S.A. Enjoy a day of competition, live military demonstrations, music, food, and more. We expect to have thousands of people in attendance!
SEAL Team Challenge
Meet Our U.S. Navy SEALs
Virtual 1K, 5K and 10K Individual Swim/Paddle
Activities for the Kids
Veteran Organization Information Booths
Music, Food, and Fun For Everyone
Live Military Demonstrations
Manchester Police Department K9 Demonstration
See more photos from past events
2021 Swimmer Registration and Fundraising Details
*All of those participants that registered last year before we changed to a virtual event (and did not request cancelation) will be eligible for a free entry this year. You will receive a unique coupon code. These codes will be a 100% discount to SWAM21. Please register as normal and enter your code.
Registration will include entry to the race of your choice, a race cap, finisher medal and an event t-shirt (only guaranteed if you register before 6/19). Prizes will be awarded to the top 3 men and women finishers and the top 3 relay teams. Special awards will be given to the top winners in each race distance.
$60 Early Bird Registration
January 1st –
February 28th
$75 GENERAL
Registration
March 1st –
May 31st
$90
Registration
June 1st –
June 30th
$100
Registration
July 1st –
July 10th
$125 Same Day Registration
July 11th
Volunteer Information
We could not do this fabulous event without the help of volunteers. Click Here to register as a volunteer now.
SWAM To Remember
To honor and remember the 90 New Hampshire service members who have been KIA (Killed in Action) since 2001 in the Global War on Terror, we will be sending everyone who registers for SWAM21 (Live or Virtual) a bracelet to wear while training and competing in the event. Each bracelet will have the name, branch, rank and the date each service member made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. You can see all 90 of these service members listed on our Honor Wall and learn more about the lives of each fallen hero.
5th Annual Swim With A Mission Live Race Details
Saturday, July 10, 2021
Distances
- 10k Relay (Teams of 3-5 swimmers)
- 10k individual swim
- 5k individual swim
- 1k individual swim
Swimmer Qualifications
- In good health and capable of making the swim distance
- Strong enough swimmer to hold a consistent pace (based on 100 yards) of 1:50 or better
- Committed to supporting our veterans and designated charities
- Each relay team will have at least 3 swimmers, but no more than 5
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Fundraising is not required, but highly encouraged! To further motivate our swimmers, there will be fundraising incentives
Recognition & Awards
- The top fundraising individuals will get special recognition.
- Official Swim With A Mission Awards will be presented to the following finishers: top 3 in the men’s and woman’s individual categories and top 3 relay teams.
USAT Wetsuit Rules
- USAT rules state that competitors may wear wetsuits if the water temperature is 78 degrees or lower.
- USAT rules also state that if the water temperature is between 78.1 – 83.9 degrees, competitors may wear wetsuits but will not be eligible for awards.
- If the water temperature is 84 degrees or above, participants may not wear wetsuits.
General Rules and Details for All Swimmers
- Swim Buoys and Assistive devices, including masks, fins, snorkels, and paddles are NOT allowed.
- Swimmers are NOT permitted to wear headphones during the race.
- USAT Wetsuit rules apply for use of wetsuits
1K, 5K and 10K Individual Details
- Water starts for each distance
- Out and back course (see map)
- Swim in clockwise direction…always stay on left of buoys
- Buoy at each distance turn around
- There will be support boats at the 5K and 10K turnarounds.
- Paddlers and support boats will be along the course for safety and support. ALL Paddlers and Support Boats must register through the Volunteer Registration
10K Team Relay Details
- Beach start for all relay swimmers
- Team members not swimming will remain on beach
- Each lap equals .31miles or .5K (20 laps equal 10K) (see map)
- Swimmer must cross start/finish time pad at the beginning of each lap
- Every swimmer needs to swim at least one lap
- There will be paddlers along the route for your safety
Swim Route
- All swim races will begin and end at Wellington State Park.
Swim With A Mission Virtual Event Details
July 1st – July 31st
Follow a manual added link
How The Virtual Swim Works
- Register for Virtual SWAM21 and choose your desired swim or paddle distance (1K, 5K, 10K individual).
- Complete your swim or paddle distance between July 1st and July 31st in any body of water you want. You can choose to complete the swim/paddle once or as many times as you want. You can also complete your swim in one go or over multiple sessions. Swimmers will get a link to enter swim distance and times each day if chosen. You will also get a link weekly to enter your best time of the week and we will have a leaderboard, so you will be able to track your progress versus other swimmers.
- Each swimmer will be asked to swim for a specific service member who lost their life in the line of duty. This campaign is called “SWAM To Remember” and every registered swimmer will receive a bio and story connected to the service member they are matched with. Swimmers will also receive a bracelet personalized to their fallen hero. See below for more info on this.
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We encourage all virtual participants to take pictures and videos of their Virtual SWAM21 and post them on social media to show support for our Veterans and inspire others to join. Everyone who does this will be entered into a raffle to win some amazing prizes! See below for raffle details.
Swim With A Mission Virtual Event Details
July 1st – July 31st
Follow a manual added link
How The Virtual Swim Works
- Register for Virtual SWAM21 and choose your desired distance (1K, 5K, 10K individual).
- Complete your swim distance between July 1st and July 31st in any body of water you want. You can choose to complete the swim once or as many times as you want. You can also complete your swim in one go or over multiple sessions. Swimmers will get a link to enter swim distance and times each day if chosen. You will also get a link weekly to enter your best time of the week and we will have a leaderboard, so you will be able to track your progress versus other swimmers.
- Each swimmer will be asked to swim for a specific service member who lost their life in the line of duty. This campaign is called “SWAM To Remember” and every registered swimmer will receive a bio and story connected to the service member they are matched with. Swimmers will also receive a bracelet personalized to their fallen hero. See below for more info on this.
-
We encourage all virtual participants to take pictures and videos of their Virtual SWAM21 and post them on social media to show support for our Veterans and inspire others to join. Everyone who does this will be entered into a raffle to win some amazing prizes! See below for raffle details.
How The SEAL Team NH Challenge Works
A well known Navy SEAL Admiral was talking about how important it is to keep promises. In order to keep promises to others, you first need to keep promises to yourself. So, when asked for an example of how to demonstrate that, he said, try this:
- Every day, for 20 days in July, the last thing you do before you go to bed at night and the first thing you do when you wake up: 20 push ups and 20 sit ups. Sounds simple, but be warned, the Admiral says less than 5% of people can actually complete this.
- We have a second option for you: pick 1 day in July and at the top of every hour, for 20 hours in a row, you do 20 push-up’s. That will add up to 400 push up’s in one very long day with minimal sleep! Remember you only do 20 at a time. You can also complete the pushups from your knees. This is both a mental and physical challenge! Are you up for it?
How The SEAL Team NH Challenge Works
A well known Navy SEAL Admiral was talking about how important it is to keep promises. In order to keep promises to others, you first need to keep promises to yourself. So, when asked for an example of how to demonstrate that, he said, try this:
- Every day, for 20 days in July, the last thing you do before you go to bed at night and the first thing you do when you wake up: 20 push ups and 20 sit ups. Sounds simple, but be warned, the Admiral says less than 5% of people can actually complete this.
- We have a second option for you: pick 1 day in July and at the top of every hour, for 20 hours in a row, you do 20 push-up’s. That will add up to 400 push up’s in one day! But you only do 20 at a time. And you can do them on your knees.
How The Virtual Kayak and SUP Event Works
Since we won’t be able to hold our main event this year on beautiful Newfound Lake, we wanted to allow all of our incredible support paddlers and kayakers to join in on the Virtual event too.
- Register for Virtual SWAM21 and choose a desired distance (1K, 5K, 10K).
- Complete your kayak or paddle distance between July 1st and July 31st in any body of water you want. You can choose to complete the distance once or as many times as you want.
-
We encourage all virtual participants to take pictures and videos of their Virtual SWAM20 and post them on social media to show support for our Veterans and inspire others to join. Everyone who does this will be entered into a raffle to win some amazing prizes! See below for raffle details.
How The Virtual Kayak and SUP Event Works
Since we won’t be able to hold our main event this year on beautiful Newfound Lake, we wanted to allow all of our incredible support paddlers and kayakers to join in on the Virtual event too.
- Register for Virtual SWAM21 and choose a desired distance (1K, 5K, 10K).
- Complete your kayak or paddle distance between July 1st and July 31st in any body of water you want. You can choose to complete the distance once or as many times as you want.
-
We encourage all virtual participants to take pictures and videos of their Virtual SWAM20 and post them on social media to show support for our Veterans and inspire others to join. Everyone who does this will be entered into a raffle to win some amazing prizes! See below for raffle details.
Why Would You Want To Race Virtually?
- Our Veterans Have Sacrificed For Us…Now We Do It For Them
- Motivation To Train and Stay Active
- Inspire Others To Join The Mission
- Engage Virtually With The SEALs
- Choose Where And When
- No Crowds, No Waking Up Early,
No Port-A-Potties - Lots of Great SWAM Swag
- Stay Connected With The SWAM Community
Volunteer Information
We could not do this fabulous event without the help of volunteers. All volunteers MUST register online through the link. Click the link below to register as volunteer. VOLUNTEER REGISTRATION
Paddlers
You will choose your distance 1K, 5K and 10K as well as to be along the 10K Relay Course. You can also choose to be a race leader or a follower. The leader will need to be able to stay on pace with the lead swimmer in that distance and the follower will need to stay behind the last swimmer in that distance. We will also need some kayakers for during the afternoon. You must have your own kayak or SUP and need to be ready to go before the pre-race meeting begins at 7:00AM
Boat Support
We will need food and safety boats along course and stationed a turnaround buoys. You will remain out on the course for the entire race or until the last swimmer. You will meet the boat coordinator out in Wellington Bay at about 7:00AM.
Land Volunteer
Please sign up for a time slot and we will assign you to a job when you arrive.
Parking Volunteer
We will need people in our satellite lots as well as the entrance to Wellington Park to facilitate parking.
Fundraising
Swim With A Mission is a fundraiser to help Veterans so we encourage all to fundraise to the best of their abilities. Every dollar helps! When you register you will automatically receive a link to a fundraising page. Please use this link to create a unique page for your supporters. Please fundraise through the link that is created through Pledgereg or send funds directly to us payable to Swimming With A Mission Inc and clearly note who should receive the credit for the donation. Fundraising is done as individuals and recognition will be given to the top fundraisers at the event. All incentives will be based on fundraising completed by 7/8 (except T-shirts). Remember, EVERYONE can fundraise, not just swimmers!
Individual Fundraising Incentives:
- SWAM Special Edition Silicone Swim Cap for any individual that raises $250
- SWAM Hat for any individual who raises at least $500
- SWAM Towel for any individual who raises at least $750
- SWAM Swim Bag for any individual that raises at least $1000
- Bottle of Single Barrel Jack Daniels made specifically for the Navy SEALs OR a signed Navy SEAL flag for any individual who raises at least than $2500
- Invite to VIP reception 7/10 for any individual that raises more than $5000
Paddler and Boat Info
Safety is our #1 concern!
We depend on all swimmers, paddlers, boat captains and volunteers to know and follow the safety rules at all times.
- Boats will be driven at headway speed and maintain a safe distance from the swimmers and paddlers. We recommend 15 – 20 feet.
- All participants in a boat will follow the instructions of the boat captain and be vigilant in getting in and out of the boats.
- Paddlers that are escorting swimmers will remain 5 – 10 feet from the swimmers and act as the navigator to help keep the swimmers on the course.
- Boat captains and paddlers that are supporting the swimmers will be vigilant to deter spectator boats from driving into or through the swim course.
- Each paddler will either be assigned to a specific swimmer or be given a part of the swim course to patrol.
Paddlers should come to the race prepared:
- Dress in layers to account for a colder start and warmer temperatures later in the day
- Wear a hat and sunscreen to protect from the sun
- Must have their own kayak or SUP
- Bring a cell phone in a plastic bag. We will provide you with an emergency cell phone number to call if there is a problem or if you have questions
- Bring 2 life preservers, one for you and one for any potential swimmer that needs a rescue
- Food and drink for yourself
- Bring a cup in case you have to use the bathroom (we are not kidding)
- If you are assigned to a swimmer, they might ask you to carry food and liquids for them to be administered during the swim. Please work together with your swimmer to provide them the best assistance.
Parking
There will be NO Public Parking for the event inside Wellington State Park.
There is no on street parking allowed on West Shore Road.
Please park in one of our designated parking lots.
Satellite Parking and Shuttles Will Be Available From 5:30AM-5:00PM**
Thank you to Easter Seals/Veterans Counts for organizing our parking volunteers and providing the Shuttle Buses!
There are 4 Lots Available…
457 West Shore Road (Open 05:30-17:00)
22 Hemp Hill Road (Open 5:30AM-17:00) VOLUNTEERS ONLY
Freudenberg Lot, 450 Pleasant Street (Open 10:00-17:00)
Village Pizza of Bristol, 825 Lake Street (Open 10:00-17:00)
Vendors and Booth Holders will be given ONE parking pass so please plan accordingly.
SWAM would like to thank the following sponsors for the donation of land for our much-needed overflow parking lot.
Event Schedule
This is a TENTATIVE schedule…updates will be made as the event is closer.
| Prerace Meeting | 07:00 |
| Races Begin | 07:30 |
| Swim Awards | Around 12:00 |
| Food Vendors, Merchandise, Raffles, Kids Activities, Booths, Etc | 10:00-16:00 |
| Military and Dog Demonstrations SEAL – Q & A to follow demonstration | 13:00 (approximately) |
| Raffle and 50/50 Winners | Will Be Announced |
We encourage you to come and spend the day…enjoy the beauty of Wellington State Park, cheer on swimmers, talk with members of our military and learn about Veterans groups around the state and enjoy the demonstrations.
FAQ
How much does the event cost?
The event is free and open to the public.
Do we have to pay to get into Wellington State Park?
No, there will be no entrance fee.
Is parking available at the Park?
No, we ask our attendees to park in one of 4 satellite parking lots. See Parking Section for more details.
Can we register to swim on the day of the race?
Yes, unless we are sold out. Online registration closes on 7/10.
How can I volunteer for the event?
Go to Volunteer Registration 2020 to register.
Can I wear a wetsuit?
We will post water temperature the day of the race. See wetsuit rules.
Will there be food at the park?
Yes, there will be food for purchase.
Can I make a donation to Swim With A Mission?
Yes, thank you for your support. On our website there is a Donate Button with full details of how to donate. There will also be donation boxes scattered around the event.
Fundraising Support
Welcome to the 2021 Swim With a Mission fundraising campaign. Here are a few helpful hints to achieve success.
Make a List
Lists are great, they simplify, clarify and streamline your efforts. The first place to start is from your mobile devices. Include all your contacts and emails. More is better.
- All your relatives, every single one of them; $20 from each will add up very quickly.
- Work colleagues, let everyone know about this great event. Don’t forget to ask about matching contributions.
- Neighbors, any club you belong to: book clubs, tennis teams, cross fit groups, gun clubs, running friends, networking groups, religious organizations, VFW Halls, KOC memberships, any place you volunteer, PTA and of course swimming buddies.
- Anyone you pay; your accountant, plumber, electrician, mechanic, painter.
Creative Ideas
Instead of birthday/holiday gifts ask for a donation.
Play a board game, card game, dice, pool, darts or left right center with a group of friends and the winner donates the cash.
If permitted keep a change jar on your desk at work, with a large sign, and ask people to contribute loose change left over from lunch/coffee.
Restaurant Fundraisers. Contact local restaurants, bars or other proprietors and see if they will donate back a portion of the proceeds to SWAM.
Host a cocktail party or barbecue to support your mission. You are asking for help and support. Keep it simple, light on food and heavy on donations.
Make the Ask
Start small. Make the first ask to someone you know will donate, next to the person you think will help and continue from there. You are doing this for a great cause.
Communicate Via:
Email Text Telephone In Person Handwritten Note
Use your social media outlets:
Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snap and any other ways you communicate. Videos are a great way to capture interest. Perhaps include photos or a video of you training, at the gym, drinking a protein shake, a picture of your new swim goggles, your flip flops, have fun with this.
@swimwithamssion #swimwithamission Facebook
Communicate and Communicate Again
Donors are often willing but busy and typically have to be reminded before they commit to helping you. Our Military protects everyone and our Veterans need and deserve our help. Mention the recipients: The Navy SEAL Museum, Veterans Count, Dan Healy Foundation to name a few.
Thank You
Don’t forget to say thank you. It is always a good idea to personally thank each person who donates by sending them a handwritten note, an email, a phone call, or give them a shout-out on social media.
Extra Help
Please contact us with any questions, we are here to help!
Company Gift Programs
Remember many companies match gifts…please contact your employer to see if they have a matching gift program.
Race Results from the Swim Events
Congratulations to all of our winners, placers and finishers.
2020 Results at MilleniumRunning.com
2019 Results at MillenniumRunning.com|2018 Results at MillenniumRunning.com
Thank you for realizing how important this event is to our Veterans every year. You’re making a difference!
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