About the Coral Reef Swim Race

14th Annual St. Croix Coral Reef 5 Mile Swim
and 2nd Annual Two Mile Beach Swim
Races to benefit The Nature Conservancy

When: Sunday. Oct. 18, 2009

Race Descriptions:
5 Mile Open Water Swim
2 Mile Open Water Swim

Schedule of activities for Swim Race

Course: The 5-Mile open-water swim race begins with a boat ride to Buck Island National Monument. Your ocean swimming is from the shore of Buck Island National Monument, through two miles of crystal clear water before reaching the coastline of St. Croix. The open water swimming continues along the shore, through colorful reefs and sandy bottoms, and finishes at the Mermaid Beach at St. Croix's premiere destination resort, The Buccaneer. See Rules and Course Talk at swimrace.com.

The 2-mile swim will be a triangular course starting and finishing at The Buccaneer Mermaid Beach.

Water: Temperature is expected to be between 78 and 81 degrees F. Wetsuits are not allowed.

Race Categories: The 5 mile open water swim race includes nine categories that accommodate swimmers of varying abilities, from teenagers to seniors. Participants in the past include swimming enthusiasts, well-known swim coaches, and Olympic swimmers, including Pan American Gold Medalist Alex Kostich, Sydney Olympics Gold Medalist Misty Hyman, and Wolrd record holder and "the voice of American Swimming" Rowdy Gaines..

Entry Information: Approximately 200 entries will be accepted for the 5 mile swim. Those entries arriving after the limit is reached or after the event is closed on October 5, 2009 will not be accepted. This event is a fundraiser for The Nature Conservancy's program to protect the coral reefs of the Virgin Islands.

Entry Fee: The 2009 Coral Reef Swim entry fee is $95 per swimmer, which covers a pre-race gathering on October 17 at The Buccaneer (mandatory for swimmers), an awards lunch, tee shirt, swim cap, taxi to the boat and the boat ride to the race start on Buck Island. A 10% discount will be given for entries paid and submitted by April 30, 2009. Print entry form

Swimming race participants can register on-line using a credit card at swimrace.com or www.active.com/event.

Questions on the race course can be sent to:
or call 253-241-4827.
Questions about The Nature Conservancy's work in the Eastern Caribbean may be addressed to:

Swim Race Accommodations

The Buccaneer Coral Reef Swim

Stay at The Buccaneer on Swim Race weekend and enjoy special room rates, airport transfers, and much more in this special race discount of 25%. Book your race accommodations, then please register for the race through www.thebuccaneer.com

Special rates for race participants - minimum stay required.
To make a reservation call The Buccaneer (800) 255-3881 or email