Often in life, it is the adventures you stumble upon that prove to be the most fun. Such was the case for Open Water Planet’s (OWP) Casey Taker earlier this winter when Open Water Planet set out to explore the idea of adding a river-based event to the 2017 Triton Series.
“We wanted to round out a Texas series that already included a lake and an ocean swim. River swims are fun because you are swimming with the current and that adds speed” explained COO Casey Taker. But we had no idea a location as great as the Comal River was about to fall in our lap”.
While digging through books and articles written about swimming spots in Central Texas the team became intrigued with the Comal River. The Comal became famous when Ripley’s Believe it or Not featured it as the World’s Shortest River. The 2.5 mile river rises from Comal Springs, one of the largest springs in Texas with 8 million gallons of water flowing through every hour. This keeps the river clean, clear (it maintains a crystal clear, Caribbean jade color right in Central Texas), and a consistent 72 degrees year around. When visiting, the team discovered several obstacles throughout the first swim down the river, including the famous Tube Chute.
“That was the kicker. We were obsessed at that point. The following week we made the decision to move forward and immediately put it on our calendar for April 22-23, 2017. Part of OWP’s core mission is to provide unique challenges in amazing places for our family of athletes. It’s not just about swimming, it’s about learning to handle whatever mother nature might throw at you. That was the fundamental change behind the Triton Series. The Comal River is the perfect way to introduce the idea of obstacles along an open water course. And after seeing it in person we all looked at each other and knew we were on to something very special ” stated a very excited Casey Taker.
The Triton river ONE will feature a 1.2 mile course that begins at Prince Solms Park in New Braunfels TX April 23, 2017. Course obstacles will include jumping on a tube to fly through the Tube Chute, navigating a “butt buster” over the tiny Wier Falls and conquering the Warnecke Rapids. But the great thing about this location is that it is tame enough for nearly anyone that is comfortable swimming a mile. The full weekend of events includes a tube down the river on Saturday for swimmers and their families to give everyone a preview of the course and allow for some additional fun time.
The Triton River One is a perfect way to kick off the open water season. For beginners it offers a chance to swim in a high-visibility environment with a current that helps to push you along. And because it’s a river, there are no worries on sighting and staying on course. For the more experienced athletes, it offers a chance to challenge themselves to something a little different and race with the current that can add an amazing speed factor. It’s your chance to fly!
OWP is keeping this event smaller in it’s inaugural year with limited entries, but there are still some spots available and family and team pricing is an option.
Register for this event and the rest of the Triton Series events at www.tritonseries.com
Open Water Planet (OWP) was created to provide the open water sports community a place to call their own. We are spread all over the world but we are alike in so many ways. We work hard, we play hard. There is always an excuse to travel and the thrills are all the reward we need. Our pools have no walls and the lanes are ever-changing. OWP spreads it’s core message of never fearing the unknown through the company’s series of open water events, clinics, swim travel, training programs and custom gear. All specifically aimed at helping those passionate about the water to get where they want to go.
Swimming news is courtesy of Open Water Planet, a SwimSwam partner.
