Open Water Championship
December 12, 2026
Thank you to our Sponsors
Eligibility and Qualifying
Participation is limited to current CSCAA members. All student-athletes must be eligible as certified by their institution. Athletes must have achieved one of the below qualifying times between January 1, 2026 and the entry deadline. Meter conversions are acceptable.
Qualifying Criteria
|
|
500 Yard
|
1000 Yard
|
1650 Yard
|
5k
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Women
|
5:10.00
|
10:30.00
|
18:00.00
|
1:09.00
|
|
Men
|
4:50.00
|
10:00.00
|
17:00.00
|
1:04.00
|
Entries
Registration will be limited to 175 individuals per gender/wave.
Registration details are outlined below and will be updated as they become available.
- Entry fee of $100 per individual
- Register NOW
- Payment will be required upon registration. Payment may be made via Visa, Mastercard, American Express, or Discover.
- To allow for appropriate planning, refunds will not be issued after October 1, 2026
The entry form is not an eligibility report; it is the coaches’ responsibility to know the eligibility of each athlete. Once you complete your entry, you will be sent confirmations via email. Please keep all of these and bring them with you to the meet.
Rules
The full event manual is available above. Current USA Swimming Rules and Regulations will govern this event. Please see Part Seven of the USA Swimming Rules & Regulations for complete list of Open Water Rules.
Swimwear
- No swimmer shall be allowed to use or wear any device that may be an aid to his/her speed, endurance, or buoyancy.
- A maximum of two caps may be used.
- Wet suits, flotation aids or any similar items, and anything used to maintain body heat, except a reasonable application of body grease, are not allowed.
Team Events
- Team events will be conducted concurrently with individual events, with the results achieved in the individual event used to compute the team scoring.
- Teams will be entered automatically based on team entries.
- Maximum of five athletes per team. Exhibition participants will be determined based on space availability.
2026 Host Hotel
The Homewood Suites by Hilton Sarasota Lakewood is the host hotel for the 2026 Open Water Championship. Be sure to book by November 12, 2026 to secure the group rate.
- Rate: $249 per night
- Address: 305 North Cattleman Road, Sarasota, FL
- Distance from Race Site: ~1 miles
- Booking Link
2026 Race Day & Practice Schedule
All events will occur at Nathan Benderson Park: 5851 Nathan Benderson Circle Sarasota, FL 34235
Friday, December 11th
Nathan Benderson Park Access
- The water will be open from 12:00–4:30 p.m., and all participants must be out by 4:30 p.m. due to sunset.
Technical Meeting
- Virtual Technical Meeting - Wednesday, December 9 at 6pm
Saturday, December 12th
Men's Race
- Men’s 5k Race: 8:30 a.m.
Women's Race
- Women’s 5k Race: 10:30 a.m.
Awards
- An overall individual champion will be recognized in both the women’s and men’s competitions
- Awards will be presented to the first- through eighth-place finishers in the overall event, per gender
- The top male and female finisher from each division (e.g., Division I, Division II, Division III) will also be recognized as the individual champion for that division. There are no separate second- through eighth-place divisional awards
- Trophies will be presented to the team Overall Champion and Runner-Up for each gender. No trophies will be awarded to divisional team champions
