Former Waikiki Roughwater Swim director Kaia Hedlund has a short-term and long-term vision for open water swimming on the college scene.
Her short-term vision will be realized on October 21st in Marine Stadium in Long Beach, California. As a result, her long-term vision of including open water swimming at the NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships is building momentum.
For the first time in conference history, the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) will hold a one-day Open Water Swimming Championship in Marine Stadium. The MPSF includes all universities in the Big West Conference, the Mountain West Conference, the Pac 12 Conference, the West Coast Conference, and the Western Athletic Conference.
The collegiate championship meet will consist of four events: men’s and women’s 5 km race followed by the men’s and women’s 2 km 4-person relays.
Team scoring will be made up of results achieved in both the 5 km and relay events. The top three individuals and top relay team from each university will contribute to their team score.
Additionally, the top three swimmers in the 5 km races will automatically qualify for the 5 km USA Swimming Open Water National Championship as well as the CSCAA National Championship in December.
Hedlund wants college alumni to also take part. She is organizing a masters 5 km and 1 km race for adults 18 and over. The MPSF welcomes all masters and open swimmers to participate in the event. “We are thrilled to host the inaugural MPSF Open Water Swimming Championship,” says MPSF
Commissioner Foti Mellis. “The opportunity to provide collegiate swimming programs a world-class open water swimming event in the West is very exciting. This championship creates an avenue for collegiate swimmers to experience an elite level of competition. The MPSF is proud to promote the sport of open water swimming.”
Open Water Swimming has been in the Olympics since 2008. Alumni from colleges invited to the MPSF
Championship have participated in the 2008, 2012, 2016, and 2020 Olympic Games and have medaled in both the men’s and women’s events. Long Beach will serve as the host for the open water swimming, water polo, and triathlon events at the 2028 Olympic Games.
“We love the enthusiasm and support from the open water swimming community, CSCAA, NCAA
Swimming and Diving Committee, and USA Swimming,” says MPSF Associate Commissioner for
Championships Kaia Hedlund. “The City of Long Beach is going all out to welcome this inaugural
championship to the Aquatic Capital of America.”
For additional MPSF Open Water Swimming information, including Marine Stadium details, live coverage of the championship, and registration links, see here.
Livestreaming will be offered on the MPSF website here.
Alumni and masters swimmers can obtain additional information and register here.
© 2023 Daily News of Open Water Swimming
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