Emerald City Classic-Annual World Graded Championships

By the power vested in Shark Free Swimming by absolutely no governing body whatsoever, you are hereby invited to compete in the totally self proclaimed World Open Water Swimming Graded Championships-that we decided is the most prestigious open water swim event on this side of the galaxy. This once-in-lifetime (and also annual, if we feel like it) event will determine World Champions by Age and Gender, ensuring maximum inclusivity and a statistically impressive number of champions.  Odds of winning a "world title" have never been better.  

Come out and celebrate open water swimmers of all ages and genders through age-graded and gender-based results.  While proudly self-declared, this event is designed to showcase performances across age- and gender-based categories, giving every swimmer a chance to compete for "world championship" bragging rights.  The goal is to recognize outstanding performances across the entire swimming community, not just elite competitors.

Whether you're racing for glory, personal best, or just a great swim experience, this event is all about strong swims, good company, and a bit of fun competition.  

Hope to see you at the "Championships"!

Registration Includes:  Swim cap, lightweight hoodie w/logo, awards for each distance (age, gender and overall), and timed results. 

Schedule:  

Check in:  6:00 am - 7:15 am,  Safety Briefing: 7:25 am,  Warm-up:  7:35-7:45,  National Anthem:  7:45 am,  Races Start at 8 am

Course:  Participants are invited to take part in a water supported and timed open-water swim offering two distances: 

1.2 Mile (2 Laps with a 1 hour and 10-minute cut-off time)
2.4 Mile (4 Laps with a 2 hour and 20-minute cut-off time)

The course is set in open water with clearly marked buoys allowing swimmers to navigate confidently and safely.  

To ensure a high level of safety, the event features lifeguard stationed along the course (as well as the support of the police water patrol).  In addition, kayak and paddleboard support teams patrol the swim course, providing guidance, monitoring swimmer progress, and offering assistance if needed. 

Before the event, swimmers receive a brief safety orientation covering sighting, course layout, and emergency procedures.  Throughout the event, support staff communicate to maintain constant coverage and quick response capability.  

Swim Requirements:  All swimmers should have some open water swimming experience and be able to swim a mile under 60 minutes in a pool.  Swimmers must pick-up their race packet in person the morning of the race (Saturday, August 22, 2026) and will be required to show a picture ID.  No swimmers under the age of 18 years of age are allowed.  

All participants receive finishing medals.

New this new!.  Each event will be age and gender graded. 

How does age and gender grading work?  Age and grading is a system used in sports, like running (in this case swimming), to compare a person's performance to the world-record-level performance for their age and sex, converting it into a score. This allows athletes of different ages and gender to fairly compare their performances as a comparable metric that accounts for natural performance declines with age and gender.  

Here's an example of how this works.  For the 1.2 mile swim, a 30 year old male has a time of 29:00 min, a 70 year old male's time is 40:00 minutes, a 55 year old female's time is 38:00 minutes, and a 30 year old female's time is 33:00 minutes.  These times age and gender grade to: 28:43 (30 year old male), 28:48 (70 year old male), 28:24 (55 year old female), and 28:58 (30 year old female). 

Divisions for event will be:

1.2 mile non-wetsuit:  Top 6 male and Top 6 female graded times
1.2 mile wetsuit:  Top 6 male and Top 6 female graded times
2.4 mile non-wetsuit:  Top 6 male and Top 6 female graded times
2.4 mile wetsuit: Top 6 male and Top 6 female graded times

We are excited to introduce this new Swimmer Referral Program!

Invite your friends to dive into the 1st Annual World Graded Championships and earn $50.00 off your registration fee.  Here is how it works:

Invite 5 friends who register as paid participants.  Once all 5 are signed up and paid, you will receive $50 off your entry fee.  It's a great way to grow our swim community and make race day even more fun by bringing your friends along!!

Why Volunteer?

Be a part of an exciting community event
Support athletic safety
Receive event swag and our appreciation
We are looking for enthusiastic volunteers to help make our upcoming Emerald City Classic swim event safe, smooth and successful.  We have several roles available:

Assist as a lifeguard and safety teams in monitoring swimmers
Serve as additional eyes on the course from designated shoreline points
Kayakers and paddleboarders are especially welcome (own equipment, a bonus)
Help distribute race packets, support check-in and answer basic questions
Hand out finishing metals
Monitor and assist swimmers at the finish of race
Collect timing chips
Photography
Drone 
Sing the National Anthem
Monitor the music for the event to provide a fun and lively atmosphere
We would love to have you act as a volunteer!  Your time and assistance would be greatly appreciated!!!

You can register to be a volunteer by signing up on this site!   All volunteers with receive a towel and food the day of the race.  Click on the link below to register to volunteer.  

We would love to see you back at the start line!  In addition to the Booth Lake Memorial Swim, we host 2 open- water swims later in the summer.  Whether your building confidence in the water, training for a triathlon, or chasing a new personal best, there is something for every athlete.

Upcoming Events Include:

 "Swim of Legends" - 7 Mile Swim on Geneva Lake, on 8-30-2026.  Booth Lake Memorial Swim can be used as a qualifying event for "Swim of Legends"  https://runsignup.com/Race/Dashboard/Overview/178873

 "Booth Lake Memorial Swim"- 1.2 and 2.4 Mile Swims on Booth Lake on 8-22-2026 located in East Troy, WI.

Stay connected and keep the momentum going..... Your next finish line is waiting!                                                                                             

We get it—life happens! That’s why we recommend purchasing event insurance during checkout.

What is RegShield Insurance?
Race insurance, provided by RegShield (a FanShield product), offers peace of mind by reimbursing the registration cost if you’re unable to attend due to covered reasons, including:

Accident, Illness, Family emergency
Need Help with Insurance?
RegShield is a third-party provider. For any questions related to your plan, contact FanShield:
📧 help@fanshield.com
📞 1-844-849-4827 EXT. 1

The RegShield premium in the United States, including processing fees is:
8.1% of the registration fee 
Plus related taxes and fees by state
Disclaimer
Actual coverage to the end consumers may vary with the specific insurance policy document only and this is for informational value only.

Refunds are not permitted for any reason.

The event will be held unless severe weather occurs. In the event of severe weather, the race director may delay or cancel the event. If the event is canceled, there will be no refunds.