Maui 'Aumākua 2.4 Mile

Swim and Sprint Mile

7th Annual Labor Day, Monday, Sept 5, 2011

Online Entry at Club Assistant: USMS or USA-Swimmers

Paper Entry Form

Course Map

Beach Set-Up The Arch Arch Swim.mov

 

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2011 Race Information

Note: there are changes year to year ... please read.

Last update to this page: 08/23/2011.

Safety Aquatic Wildlife.pdf

Aloha ‘Aumakua Swimmers,

RACE DAY ENTRIES (at a way-too-high price because they impose higher costs to run, and less ability to plan):

Entries are due Saturday, Sept 3, 2011 at the channel swim or by midnight on-line at club assistant, or received in by Maui Dolphins Swim Club, PO Box 880694, Pukalani, HI 96788, or at the Maui Masters Pukalani Practice 7:30-9am.  Malcolm Cooper will be at the Maui Channel Swim and can be reached at the Captain’s Meeting Friday night (if there’s no blockage on the road to Kaanapali that night), the Banquet Saturday Night, and Saturday afternoon after the channel swim we’ll be staying in the room next to Ian Emberson (race director for the Maui Channel Swim) at the Ka’anapali Beach Hotel.

  •  Location:  (Click on satellite overlay at top to see detailed map) The race starts from the Malu’aka beach fronting the Makena Beach and Golf Resort at 5400 Makena Alanui; Makena, Maui, Hawaii 96753.  (FYI ... this is a BEAUTIFUL place to stay even for just one night.)  Makena is south of Kihei and Wailea on the south coast of Maui.  For those participating in the Maui Channel Swim, it’s normally a 45-50 minute drive from Ka’anapali to Makena.  For a satellite view of the course marked up with the course and start times, see attached graphic at right.
  • Parking:  PLEASE: No Parking in the Maui Prince Hotel parking lot Other parking is limited to the north and south sides of the hotel.  CARPOOLING IS STRONGLY ENCOURAGED.  There are approx 100 spots available just past (south) of the Maui Prince Hotel on the first paved road (Dead End) to the right.  Approx 50 are paved. There is more parking along the access road on the grass – but with construction this may be on only one side. (Do not park in the red zone.)  There are another 25 spots available on the north side beach access across from a church.  Finally, there is parking at Big Beach (Makena Beach) approx ½ mile beyond the South access.
  • 2.4 Miles or Sprint Mile: Many registrations did not indicate whether you plan to swim the (default) 2.4 Mile or the Sprint Mile race.  If your race number is 500+, you are entered in the Sprint Mile.  We will start the sprint mile shortly after the 2.4 mile.  Caution: some 2.4 milers and sprint milers may meet at the buoy and will have to merge with care!
  • Registration & Check In: You MUST check in Monday morning to swim the race.  At check in, you pick up your t-shirt(s) and cap(s) and your race number is put on your right AND left arm and thigh ((USA SWIM Req) or leg if wearing a longer suit - please don't use sunscreen on your arm & thigh until after your number is applied) with a magic marker.
  • Final Race Instructions and a blessing will be delivered beginning ~8:20am on the grassy area above the beach.
  • Start and Finish  (See Beach Map at Top) The start will occur after a tour boat loads its passengers from the beach between 8:40-8:55am or so.  With many swimmers, we will probably do start the 2.4 mile swim from waist deep in the water like last year.  The Sprint Mile will start 12 minutes after the 2.4 mile swim.
  • The finish will be at the "top" of the beach at the entrance to the Maui Prince grounds.  There will be a large red time clock for you to read when you cross the line (and you will be videoed crossig), we'll be entering your number as you cross the finish directly into a computer.  As a backup, there will also be two separate teams to record your number and time.  After you pass these backup timers, you must continue through the chute until we check for your "arch token".  You are responsible to NOT lose your token nor your wristband.

Leg #2 from first Buoy to Makena Landing.

Long leg #4 from Makena to Pu'u Ola'i.

Leg #5 from the point at Pu'u Ola'i in to brown beach.  Swim to the left edge of the house.

Last Leg for 2.4 and 1 mile from last Buoy to Malu'aka Beach and Maui Prince.

Course & Site Lines: The course shown and described will almost certainly be the course.  In case of unsafe conditions (eg; dangerous breakers, murky water, etc.), the race director and referee may choose to change the course, change the starting location, delay the time of the start, change how the start and finish is conducted or the like to ensure your safety.  Because we are in a bit of a bay with islands (Kahao'olawe and Lanai) towards the south and southwest, this is highly unlikely.

The course heads out from Malu’aka beach, turns RIGHT towards Makena Landing just off shore near a rocky point, out (left) for a short distance, then (left) towards Pu’u Ola’i.  Sprint Milers will turn in at the yellow buoy back to Makena Landing.  2.4 mile swimmers swim all the way to the Pu’u.  There will be 4’ Tetrahedral Race buoys at each turning point along the route and at the arch.  The Yellow Buoy will be the mile-turn-in buoy … 2.4 Mile swimmers may ignore it.  I have pictured some site lines on the longer sections.  The Sun may be bright on the last leg coming IN to Malu’aka Beach toward the hotel.

  • The Arch:
    • As per the “special fun rule” in the race notice: you can collect one token (from a SCUBA diver) good for one minute off your time by passing through the arch.  The arch is located past the 7th buoy approx 2 miles into the 2.4 mile swim.
    • Caution: You may be tired at this point during the race.  Even if you are familiar with diving to a depth of approx 15 feet, your fatigue may make the dive more difficult or even dangerous.  You may not gain any significant time doing this and we recommend against doing this unless you are practiced, know your limits, and feel rested enough to make it safe at the time.  When diving to a depth of 15 feet without equalizing ear pressure, you can permanently damage your ear drum; and the pressure on your eyes can be painful – especially from small & hard goggles.
    • Caution: If you swim through the arch, you will be diving through an arch approx 4’ tall and 8’ wide at a depth of ~10-15 feet with jagged edges from coral and rocks sticking out.  Touching coral can also kill the coral.
  • Sights: This sight is where local Maui swimmers normally come for a "Sunday Swim".  We have laid out a course that tries to maximize your chance to enjoy seeing coral, fish, some interesting rock formations, and hopefully turtles & rays.  We have collected some pictures and Dave Rostetter put together text for a display of some of the animals you might encounter along the way with information about them.  The pictures shown were all taken by swimmers who enjoy easy fun swims Sunday morning on different places along Maui’s shores (www.tropicallight.com/swim.htm).  Sharks (mostly white tips) have also been seen on some of our ocean swims – we often check little caves where they’re known to hang out (we call him/her "Bruce").

 

  • Safety: See Safety page for YOUR SAFETY, SAFETY PLAN and GENERAL OCEAN SAFETY.
  • Pictures & Results: We're working on getting someone to take pictures of the race.  More info to be posted later.  There are pictures from the area of our Sunday Swims at www.tropicallight.com/swim.htm.
  • Awards: For the 2.4 mile swim, there are awards for to top 3 places in each age group – for both USA-S (10-U, 11-12, 13-14, 15-18) and USMS (19-24, 25-29 … 65-69, up to 70+) events.  For the Sprint Mile, there is only a first place award for each age group.  The top male and female finisher for the 2.4 mile and the Sprint Mile will receive a special trophy and will be removed from their age-group placing.

 

 

Maui Map

 

Aquatic Visitor Info & brochure

 

Sponsors 2011

*Roarockit

*Menehune Mano

*Cuca Maluca

*Krueger & Keck

*Down to Earth

*Milagros

*Flatbread

 


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Questions or problems regarding this web site should be directed to malcolmwhy@yahoo.com.
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Last modified: 09/08/11.