Casco BAy, USA

We do not have an officially scheduled awards ceremony, we give our awards out as the winners cross the finish line. 

top 3 awards – World Series & Sprint Teams:

• All Male Teams
• All Female Teams
• Mixed Teams

top 3 awards – World Series & Sprint Solos:

• Male Solos
• Female Solos

NO AWARDS GIVEN FOR THE Experience RACERS.

All distances have the same safety cut-offs:

• 09:30 Exiting Long Island 
• 11:00  Exiting Little Diamond 
• 12:00 Exiting Peak Island 

We have cut-offs at our races to ensure a safer experience. These are in place so that everyone has the opportunity to finish before it gets dark and to avoid putting the safety of others at risk by overburdening the safety team. Please respect these cut-offs and the people in charge of enforcing them.

WANT TO SEE ALL THESE PLACES ON ONE MAP? CLICK HERE

Race Prep & Clinic

East End Beach
Eastern Promenade Trail
Portland, ME 04101

MAP/DIRECTIONS

Packet Pickup Site

Holiday Inn Portland-by the Bay
88 Spring St.
Portland, ME 04101

MAP/DIRECTIONS

Athlete  BOATS – Loading/Departure to Starting Lines

Casco Bay Lines
56 Commercial St
Portland, ME 04101

MAP/DIRECTIONS

World Series Course – Starting Line

Chebeague Island
Chandler’s Cove

MAP/DIRECTIONS

Sprint & Experience Course – Starting Line

Great Diamond Island
Ferry Landing

MAP/DIRECTIONS

Finish Line & Post Race Site

Peaks Island Lion’s Club
Peaks Island, ME

MAP/DIRECTIONS

In the event of severe weather like lightning, flooding, or hurricane force winds, we will delay the event in 20-minute increments. If the weather does not improve, we will assess the situation every 20 minutes to ensure the event can still take place in some form. Our priority is the safety of our athletes, and any decisions made during severe weather will be in their best interest.

Mandatory YouTube Race Briefing (2025)

MANDATORY – RACE PROVIDED

• Swim Cap – Color coded to the event distance.
• Number Bib (OSFA) – Each team has matching bib numbers color coded to the event distance.
• Restube (Solo Racers Only) – Auto inflating personal flotation device (emergencies only)
     Please return at the finish line. Athletes may also use their own auto inflating or tow-behind buoy (instead), if they would like.
• Timing Chip & Ankle Strap (1 Per Team, 1 Per Solo Racer)
     It does not matter which teammate wears the timing chip. Please return at the finish line.

MANDATORY – ATHLETE PROVIDED

• Shoes – To be worn the entire race. Look for a light shoe with support, lots of grip, and good drainage.
• Wetsuit – We recommend a Swimrun style wetsuit but any wetsuit is allowed. Please do not email us asking if a wetsuit is truly mandatory. It’s on this list, it’s mandatory for everyone.
• Whistle – One per team. If you’re a solo athlete there’s a whistle built into your Restube ripcord.
• Compression Bandage One per team. One per solo racer. We race in remote areas. This is required so that if you get cut and no one is around you can attempt to stop the bleeding. CLICK HERE to see how to use it.
• Tether One per team. This is a precaution in the case of bad weather OR becomes mandatory if you find yourself separating from your teammate during the swim.

DAY-BEFORE PACKET PICKUP LOCATION

Holiday Inn Portland-by the Bay
Cumberland/Kennebec/Lincoln on the 2nd Floor
88 Spring St. 
Portland, ME 04101

DAY-BEFORE PACKET PICKUP DATE & TIMES

SATURDAY, AUG 10, 2024

• 13:00 – 14:00 – Sprint & Experience Pickup
• 14:00 – 15:00 – World Series Course Pickup
• 15:00 – 16:00 – Any Distance Can Pickup

PACKET PICKUP RULES

• It is mandatory to pick up your race packet the day before at Holiday Inn. 
• We prefer that everyone picks up their own packet the day before the race and that teams come together during this time, we understand that this may not always be possible. Therefore, we allow one team member to pick up an entire team packet, as well as family members and friends to pick up packets for racers, as long as they have the registrant’s permission and a valid ID.
• To make the check-in process quick and easy, please show your QR code at the packet pickup. We will email this to each racer the week of the event. Each QR code is specific to your registration. If you do not have your QR code, you can check in with a photo ID. You do not need to show a USA Triathlon Membership card, even though this is a USAT sanctioned event.

Can’t Pickup Your Packet the Day Before?

If you are unable to pick up your packet the day before the race, you have one more option. You can choose to pick it up on race morning by selecting “Race Morning Packet Pickup” during registration or by adding it to your RunSignup account later. This option is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Those who choose and pay for this option will have a pre-stuffed bag with their name on it ready for them before the race. Depending on the event, this pickup may be available before boarding a ferry to the start, or it may be at the common start/finish area. The add-on is per person, so each person on a team must select this add-on during or after they registration.

ALREADY REGISTERED AND NEED TO ADD-ON RACE MORNING PICKUP? – CLICK HERE

PACKET PICKUP ITEMS

The following items are given to each racer at packet pickup:

• Apparel Item
• Swim Cap
• Collapsable Cup
• Number Bib
• Timing Chip & Ankle Strap
  • It doesn’t matter which teammate wears it. Please return at the end of the race.
• Rest Tube (Solo Only)
  • Please return at the end of the race.

CLOSEST AIRPORT

• Portland International Jetport, or PWM/KPWM

ACCOMMODATIONS

• We do not provide event lodging or offer discounts on any local accommodations. There are many hotels on the mainland and B&Bs on the islands. If you choose to stay on the island, you will need to organize your own transportation to the race start island on race morning.

DISTANCE TO RACE SITE

• It’s about 11 min travel (4.8mi) from the airport to Casco Bay Lines Ferry Terminal Area. The ferry from Casco Bay Lines in Portland to Peaks Island takes about 20-minutes.

RACE AREA

• CLICK HERE to access our live site map. This map will display pins for all the important addresses listed above, but it will not include the course maps. The course maps are only available on each event’s page.

RESTROOMS

• There are several permanent restroom facilities located on the course. Portable restrooms are not provided for the event, but there are indoor restrooms available at the start/finish area.

Bag drop

• You may place your change of clothes bag on race designated luggage cart (we provide) before boarding the ferry, and we will ensure it reaches the finish line. We advise against putting any high-value or important items such as keys, wallet, electronics, etc., in these bags. While we have never had any issues with anyone tampering with the bags, we do not oversee their handling. Athletes are responsible for checking in and claiming their own bags based on an honor system, and we cannot be held liable for any damage, loss, or theft of property.

POST RACE FOOD & DRINK

• All finishers will have access to post race food and drink near the finish line area.

WE DO NOT ALLOW:

• Refunds on your race entry.
• Transfers of solo or full team entries to completely different athletes. As a team you’re allowed to swap out your teammate as long as one original member stays on the team.

WE DO ALLOW:

• Transferring to another ÖTILLÖ USA race within the same calendar year.
• Deferring to next year’s race.
• Changing teammates.
• Changing from team to solo.
• Changing distances.
• Splitting a team entry into two solo entries.
• Combining two solo entries into one team entry.
• Refunds on add-ons like wetsuits, race morning packet pickup, and spectator boat tickets as long as they are requested more than a week prior to the race.

How-To Make Changes to Your Registration

Racers have the ability to change events, transfer to a different race, or defer their entry if they would like. It’s as simple as logging into your RunSignup account and making the change(s) yourself. If you don’t know how to do it, checkout the short RunSignup tutorials below:

• How-To CHANGE EVENTS – CLICK HERE
• How-To DEFER TO NEXT YEAR – CLICK HERE
• How-To TRANSFER RACES – CLICK HERE
• How-To CHANGE BASIC INFO – CLICK HERE

A husband, a father, a sportsman, an event organizer and a leader, Jeff Cole cared deeply about each and every person he had contact with. He grew up on the water and worked as a lifeguard and was a volunteer fireman at the Kennebunk Fire Dept for over 20 years, founded and produced multisport races – from the Fireman’s Tri in Kennebunkport to White Mountains Tri in Franconia, New Hampshire. He served on the Board of Directors for numerous businesses, schools, and sporting organizations and yet spent a few weeks each year living off the grid completely self-sufficient. Jeff was an independent thinker but also a consensus builder. He never asked anyone to do something he was not prepared to do himself. He is fiercely missed but his legacy lives on through his wife Kim, daughter Rachel, son Ben, his friends and through the SwimRun USA events he pioneered.

Jeff Cole & Lars Finanger shown below (Jeff is on the left). Founders of Casco Bay Swimrun and the start of large organized swimrun events in the USA.

All racers are required to wear a wetsuit during the swim. We suggest using a Swimrun wetsuit rather than a full-body triathlon style wetsuit because Swimrun wetsuits are lighter, more flexible, and easier to run in without overheating. However, any type of wetsuit is acceptable.

For those who do not own a wetsuit and prefer not to purchase one, we have a limited number of Ark Sports rental wetsuits available. These suits can be rented as an add-on during registration, or you can add them later by logging into your RunSignup account and editing your registration to include the rental suit.

ALREADY REGISTERED AND NEED TO ADD-ON A RENTAL WETSUIT? – CLICK HERE

If you have rented a wetsuit, you can pick it up during packet pickup. We may not have extra suits available for rent if you have not reserved one in advance, so please plan accordingly. If you rented a wetsuit and have opted for race morning packet pickup, your wetsuit will be available at that time.

After the race, please remember to remove any items from the wetsuit pockets and return it to the wetsuit tub at the finish line.

• Minors who are under the age of 18 must obtain permission from the race director before signing up. They also need their parents to sign them up.
• Mandatory gear is required and may be checked at any time during the race. Participants without the mandatory gear will be disqualified.
• Teams must have a tether with them at all times, but are only required to be tethered together under certain conditions:
  • if they want to
  • if they continuously separate during swims
  • if the race organizers announce that all teams must be tethered due to weather conditions.
• Teams must stick together at all times, and leaving a teammate behind is not allowed.
• Participants must stay on the marked course at all times. Going off course and returning to it is not allowed.
• Littering is prohibited, and participants should dispose of their trash in designated areas or with event volunteers.
• It is the responsibility of each individual participant to come to the start line fully prepared. This includes familiarizing themselves with all event information provided on the website, in emails, and in videos.

Join us for a unique way to experience the race! We are offering Spectator Boat tickets on the Cat (Fogg’s Boat) so you can cheer on your friends and family competing in the race. The boat trip includes a tour of some of the islands used by the world series course and most of the islands used by sprint/experience courses, with opportunities to watch the swim and experience merge points of all distances. You may have the chance to get off the boat as well along the way to cheer on participants from shore. Your spectator boat ticket includes a shirt and a meal/drink wristband for the post race party at the Lion’s Club on Peaks Island, where you will be dropped off. Please note that you will need to arrange your own transportation back to the mainland via the public ferry nearby.

Boat Company: Fogg’s Water Taxi & Charters

Address: 72 Commercial St, Portland, ME 04101

Date: Sunday, August 10, 2025

No tickets needed – we check you in by name based on your pre registration.

Morning Timeline

• 6:00 AM – PARKING – Free street parking available (or pay for a lot nearby).

• 6:30–6:45 AM – BOARDING

  Check-in & board the boat (called “The Cat”).

  • Give your name — or your athlete’s name if they signed you up.

  • You’ll get a blue wristband (for lunch later, please wear it) and an event shirt.

   

• 7:00 AM – DEPARTURE 

  Please don’t be late — the boat leaves promptly.

  • Around 8:00 AM, we stop at Great Diamond Island so you can hop off and watch the start of the short course from land. If we do, you’ll have 15–20 minutes before needing to reboard. Please watch the time and be back on board on time — we can’t wait for anyone.

During the Race

• The boat will first head north to catch some long course athletes in action, then loop back toward the short course start. You’ll see plenty of swimming and running throughout the course.

• Land stops may happen, but aren’t guaranteed.

After the Boat Tour

• 10:30 AM – Everyone gets off at Peaks Island.

• Walk to the Lions Club.

  Once you get off the ferry, walk up the hill and turn right onto Island Ave. Follow it all the way to the end where it curves sharply left and becomes New Island Avenue. At that curve, you’ll see a dirt road with a sign for Greenwood Garden Peaks Island Lions Club. Head down that dirt road into the trees — the Lion’s Club is just a short walk from there.

• Your blue wristband gets you a free meal and drink.

• After that, feel free to relax or catch any public ferry (runs hourly) back to Portland.

Volunteers are the backbone of the race. We could not do what we do for the athletes, without volunteers. We are always in need of volunteers that are ready and willing to help with various positions during race weekend. All registered volunteers receive a t-shirt, and meal after their shift concludes. All volunteers must register via our system and check in and out for their shift. Some volunteer positions even have stipends associated with them and groups that volunteer and identify themselves as such will be eligible for a donation.

READY TO VOLUNTEER? – CLICK HERE

Every water stop will be equipped with a minimum of two coolers.

• One cooler will contain regular water.
• The other cooler will be filled with Precision Hydration electrolyte-infused water. You can identify this cooler by the “PH” marking on its top.
• Additionally, most, if not all, water stops will have a bucket or container holding PH gels.

Please ensure that any trash you have is disposed of in the designated trash bag, typically tied to the handle of one of the water coolers. Leaving trash on the course or failing to use the trash bags will result in immediate disqualification and a ban from all future races.