The Del Valle Open Water Festival in northern California is in less than two weeks. Race director Bill McCracken predicts that the weather will be superb and the lake water levels are strong.

Over 200 participants are participating in the 5 km and 10 km events, there is plenty of interest in the longer distance events, but it is the projected 20% increase in Sunday’s shorter national championship event to over 600 participants that the McCracken and crew are preparing for.

With the U.S. Masters Swimming 1 Mile National Championship held in Del Valle, the competition should be stiff overall and withiin each age group, especially with professional marathon swimmers Heidi George and Barton Wells taking part. Luane Rowe will be squaring off with Trevor Gillis in the 5 km, another competitive inter-gender battle shaping up in Lake Del Valle in Livermore about 30 miles (48 km) east of the mountains surrounding San Francisco Bay.

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