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Page 2 of 5  Swim
The 2.4 mile Ironman Louisville swim course is slightly different than other Ironman swim courses because the start and finish are in different locations. Athletes will start upstream in the Ohio River, near Tumbleweed Restaurant, in the protected water behind Towhead Island, and when they enter the main river channel, they’ll swim with the current the rest of the way, and get out at Waterfront Park.
On race morning, athletes will walk 3/4 mile from Waterfront Park to the swim start, located at the Brown Forman Amphitheater, just east of Tumbleweed Southwest Grill.
Athletes will self-seed themselves at the start based on their projected swim time.
A mass swim start will begin at 6:50 a.m. for nearly 40 professional athletes, and a time trial start will follow at 7 a.m. for age group athletes.
To reduce athlete congestion during the swim, the time trial start will consist of athletes entering the water every few seconds. Athletes will be required to cross a timing mat before entering the water, to record their official start time. Overall finish times will reflect the time at which each athlete enters the water, vs. the 7 a.m. start time.
The new swim course will encompass the traditional 2.4 miles. As a result of the increased river flow downstream, slightly faster swim times can be expected.
- average water temperature on race day is 77-82F
- fresh water
- The swim is a single file start with people jumping off a pier.
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