Way back in the early days of multi-discipline endurance sports (i.e., the early 1980’s of triathlon), we heard that 1,200 triathletes took to the waters of Marine Stadium in Long Beach during a 1982 US Triathlon series race.

1,200 triathletes – one mass start. That must have been quite a scene.

Marine Stadium will have a much more mellow start at the the 2010 USA Swimming National Open Water Swimming Championships and Open Water Pursuit races. Marine Stadium is a great place for a race, but one mass start with everyone from the elite athletes to the newcomers all going off at once made for a “particularly memorable first buoy turn” as remembered by Dr. Larry Weisenthal.

Photo shows the floating start/finish pontoon on the USA Swimming National Open Water Swimming Championship course by Sam Lafoca.

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