The North Shore Challenge
A race with a reason.
The RE7 North Shore Challenge brought open water racing to Lake Erie, celebrated the North Shore swimming community, and raised funds for Camp Trillium.
Turkey Point, Ontario
750 m, 1.5 km, 3.8 km
Global Swim Series
The race was the idea of local marathon swimmers Josh Reid and Annaleise Carr. Their vision was to bring the first ever Global Swim Series race on Lake Erie to Norfolk County and to celebrate a sport that is growing in Canada, around the world, and right here in Norfolk.
There is an open water swim group in the county, the North Shore Swimmers, organized by multi sport athlete Scot Brockbank out of the Port Dover Runners Den. The race was also a chance for Annaleise to continue fundraising for Camp Trillium, with all profit going to the camp through Annaleise’s Radical Crossings.
Race details
- Date: Sunday, June 28, 2015
- Registration: begins at 6:30am
- Start times: 3.8 km and 1.5 km races at 8am
- Finish: the event was complete by noon
- Location: Turkey Point, just west of the buoyed swim area at Turkey Point Provincial Park
- 3.8 km start: the beach in Normandale
- Distances: 750 m, 1.5 km, and 3.8 km
- Cost: $35 if registered January 21 to April 30, 2015; $40 from May 1 to June 27, 2015; $45 on race day
Why Normandale
The start for the 3.8 km race was the beach in Normandale. The choice reflected the warm reception the people of Normandale gave Annaleise and her team while she trained for the Lake Erie crossing.
The organizing circle
The North Shore Swimmers and Annaleise’s Radical Crossings Team, known as the Ripple Effect, organized the event. RE7 was the title sponsor. The Simcoe Reformer and Norfolk 98.9 were media and promotion sponsors.
The challenge returned in 2016 and 2017. Those dates and locations are recorded in the events archive.
Event sponsors and supporters
- Turkey Point Provincial Park
- Port Dover Runners Den
- Norfolk County
- Vittoria Firefighters Association
- Camp Trillium
- Sharp Bus Lines
- Simcoe Health and Fitness Centre
- Bridge Yachts
- Port Dover Power and Sail Squadron
- Norfolk OPP
- Norfolk Tourism
- Affordable Portables
- The Good Bread Company
- Long Point Biosphere Reserve
- Fotaflo
- Millea Physio
- 2nd Ave Printing
- Clear Blue Sorbents
- Cottage North Soapworks
- Sunlife Financial Nick Childs
- Long Point Eco Adventures
- Burning Kiln Winery
- 13 Reasons
- Sandbar on the Beach
- Lake Ontario Waterkeepers
- Turkey Point Golf Course
- Woodside Greens Golf Course
- Springview Farm Golf Course
- Nature Conservancy of Canada
- Erie Beach Hotel
- The Arbor
- Villa Nova Winery
- Waterford Tim Hortons
- Lighthouse Festival Theatre
- Tweetfolk Tours
- Normandale Century Inn
- South Coast Watersports
About the Global Swim Series
Founded in 2014, the Global Swim Series had its first season as the Canadian Open Water Swim Series. That season included 12 events and 26 races across Canada from Halifax to Vancouver, with more than 2,000 participants. The field included former Olympians, nationally ranked club swimmers, NCAA and CIS athletes, marathon swimmers, and Ironman triathletes, as well as many people new to open water.
With equal focus on competition and participation, a Global Swim Series event was designed to offer a welcoming experience for both elite swimmers and first time racers.
A community finish
The Vittoria Firefighters Association ran a charity barbecue for swimmers and their families in support of Camp Trillium. Singer and songwriter Dave Pomfret from Hamilton was on hand to entertain the crowd at the first event.
Explore the events archive, read the training log, or learn more about Turkey Point Provincial Park.
Around the water
Organizations, places, and open water resources connected to Annaleise's work.