NOVA News

Open Water Nationals and Junior Nationals is a set of races held in Sarasota, FL each year. It is one of, if not the biggest open water race in the United States. The races are put on by World Aquatics and USA Swimming and there are three different race distances depending on your age. The easiest way to qualify to swim at these meets is to achieve a qualifying time in the pool in either the 1000, 1650, 800, or 1500 freestyles.

When figuring out if you qualify, you first have to figure out your Aqua Birthday. That is the age you will be on December 31st of 2025. Then you look up cuts for that age on the Open Water Junior Nationals meet site and see if you qualify (or use the link HERE) There is a 5k Junior National option for 15&U and a 7.5k for 16-17year olds. For National Championships there is a 10k open age, a10k for 19&U, and a 5k open age. All races of like distances are held at the same time over the course of the weekend.

The races are traditionally held at Nathan Benderson Park. Originally, the park was made for rowing competitions, and the buoys are always in the lake. The ecosystem is fairly controlled, meaning minimal wildlife. You can even see the buoy cables on the bottom if you look closely. As far as open water competition goes, the environment is tame! The 5k is three laps, the 7.5k is four laps and the 10k is five laps. For the two longer races, athletes are allowed to pass through a feeding station, where they grab a bottle of water and gel mixture out of a cup holder on an extension pole, held out by the coach. This is usually the most complex part of the race, as the rest of the race tactics boil down to knowing where you are, the ability to swim in a pack, your ability to draft off others, and pure mental and physical endurance.

Ultimately, Open Water Nationals is a test of how mentally and physically tough you can be in the hot Florida sun. It’s a fun time getting to see and meet swimmers and coaches from all over the world, and even some international visitors while testing your skills against the very best!

Coach Sean