Mighty Mac Swim’s “Virtual Finhead 2020”

Mighty Mac Swim is holding a FREE virtual event and you are invited!!  

Following the cancellation of the August 9th Mighty Mac Swim due to COVID-19, we took notice of all the Finheads planning their own open water swims for that glaring, now-empty date on their event calendars.  We thought, “What a great idea!  Why not encourage all of Finhead Nation to join in?” We know the epic experience of swimming across the Straits of Mackinac between Michigan’s peninsulas alongside the majestic Mackinac Bridge can't be duplicated virtually,  but we wanted to offer our Finhead family a way to still work towards the goal of swimming the Straits (Mighty Mac Swim is 4.15 miles) and to have some fun in the process!! Swimmers everywhere are welcome, so invite your friends! And hey, you are all eligible to win an amazing prize thanks to our friends over at Vuzix Smart Swim!!

If you've ever dreamed of owning "smart" goggles, this is your chance to win them! You're going to want to check out the Vuzix Smart Swim website for all the amazing features of this device (https://www.vuzix.com/products/smart-swim)!! This genius invention will change your game in the water!! The retail price on these bad boys are $499.99!!

PRIZE UPDATE:  Vuzix is now awarding THREE SMART SWIM DEVICES!  If you do not win one, all Virtual Finhead 2020 swimmers can get one for 50% off ... that’s $249.99 instead of $499.99! Just go to the website and use this code: smartswim50. 

NOTE:  Limited quantities available and exclusively for event participants.  Code expires 8/31/20.

DATES:

*After you register, you will have until Sunday, August 16th at 11:59 p.m. to record your time and distance (must be in statute miles) here on RunSignUp.

*The tentative date for the Facebook Live drawing will be at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 26th.

HOW THIS VIRTUAL EVENT WORKS:

*There are different ways to earn tickets (see below) which will enter you into the drawing for the Smart Swim Goggles by Vuzix. 

*Choose your own open water swim course and record your results (distance & time).  How fast can you swim 4 miles?  How far do you want to swim?  Both time & distance will be rewarded. You can do as many swims as you want, but please only record ONE CONTINUOUS SWIM (no multiple entries or recording of accumulated miles)!! The challenge is up to you! 

*Please avoid swimming where boat traffic and when water or weather conditions present a danger.  We HIGHLY encourage you to swim with an escort vessel and/or a brightly colored swim buoy in tow.  While Finheads are incredible amphibians, please know and respect your limitations!    

*Wetsuits are optional. There will not be a wetsuit division. 

*No Propulsion, Breathing & Flotation Devices:  Propulsion devices (i.e. fins, paddles, webbed gloves, etc.) and breathing devices (i.e. snorkels) are not permitted.   No flotation devices, other than towing a swim buoy, are permitted (i.e. kick boards, pull buoys, etc.).  

*We know Finheads are the best and so we have no doubts when using the honor system! We trust that once you start swimming it will be continuous. However, if you are exiting and re-entering the water to party on a boat , we DO want to see the photos... we just ask that you don't record your time or distance to compete for the Vusix Smart Swim, lol. 

*Be as competitive as you want but you are REQUIRED to have fun!!!! 


HOW RAFFLE TICKETS ARE AWARDED:

*1 ticket for registering and recording your swim (any distance, no minimum).
*1 ticket for posting a photo of your swim to our Mighty Mac Swim Facebook Page and Mighty Mac Swim Facebook Group. 

 Additional Tickets Awarded Based on Time (for 4-Mile Distance): 

3rd place in age group: 1 ticket
2nd place in age group:  2 tickets
1st place in age group:  3 tickets
3rd place overall:  4 tickets
2nd place overall:  5 tickets
1st place overall:  6 tickets

NOTE:  Overall champions will double-dip in their age group. Speeds will be calculated in miles-per-hour, to even the playing field for participants who swim more than 4 miles.

Additional Tickets Awarded Based on Distance (4+ Miles):

All who complete 4-mile swim:  1 ticket  
Each additional mile above 4 miles:  3 tickets

DIVISIONS:  Male & Female


AGE GROUPS:  

18-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70-74
75+

If you are new to Finhead Nation, we hope you enjoy this virtual sample of the fun, adventure and camaraderie our community enjoys!  We hope this sampling leads to your joining us for the real Mighty Mac Swim, known as the “Swim Test of the Midwest,” in the future.