#3
Liberty Island
New York, New York. So good they named it twice.
The Statue of Liberty arrived in 1886 as a gift from France. The working title was Liberty Enlightening the World. It was not until 1924 that President Calvin Coolidge used his authority under the Antiquities Act to declare the statue a national monument. Liberty Island became the name of Bedloe’s Island in 1956.
Around 2010, NYC Swim, the founding organization of the Swim Around Manhattan, one of the Triple Crown of open water swimming events, introduced the Swim Around the Statue of Liberty. The race was a mere 1.2 miles compared to the 28.5 miles of the main event. It was often hosted on a weekend evening, a wonderful way to end the workday in the hot New York City summer.
Since the dissolution of NYC Swim, one can look to Sharkfest Swim for a swim similar to the one we offer here.
We apologize in advance for taking you out of New York State for the race. We just thought it would be really cool if we could swim from the Statue of Liberty to Ellis Island before biking and running through Liberty State Park.
Liberty State Park is a New Jersey State Park. The park was opened in 1976 to coincide with the bicentennial celebrations.
RACE
course
LEG 1: ACTIVITY (choose one)
Body of Water – Hudson River
Start/End Point – Lady Liberty- Ellis Island
Swim 1200 yards | Kayak/Paddle 2200 meters | Run 2 miles |
LEG 2: BIKE
Last week you transitioned at the golf course and this week you bike around a golf course. This sprint route is super flat.
Distance 13.05 miles Elevation 73 feet |
LEG 3: RUN
The run is a little longer than the usual sprint, but the lack of elevation makes up for it.
Distance 4.11 miles Elevation 0 feet |
LOCAL
attractions
Battery Park
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Battery_(Manhattan)
Bounded by Battery Place to the north and State Street to the east, this park is your gateway to New York Harbor. The park boasts multiple attractions such as the old fort named Castle CLinton and the SeaGlass Carousel.
Governors Island
This 172-acre island in New York harbor is 800 yards south of Manhattan Island and separated from Brooklyn by the Buttermilk Channel which is a mere 400 meters wide. What perfect swimming distances. However, you will want to check out the Governors Island swim presented by CIBBOWS for a 2 mile open water swim.
Statue of Liberty National Monument
You will start your race here, so why not check everything out. Remember there are separate tickets for the pedestal, crown, and museum.
Staten Island Ferry
Founded in 1817, this ferry between Manhattan and Staten Island is fondly referred to as the “Free Harbor Tour”. The route is 5.2 miles, and boats leave every 25 minutes.
World Trade Center
Go to the top of the Freedom Tower. The Freedom Tower measures 1776 feet making it the tallest building in North America. Visit the National September 11 Memorial & Museum.