This event has been postponed until July 2022. All registered participants have been notified via this email.
Sharks in New York Harbor? You can bet there will be this summer when several hundred swimmers (aka, sharks) descend there. What could be more sensational than swimming in the waters off the iconic Statue of Liberty, the most well known lady in the United States? The swim will start just outside the security zone of Liberty Island and will go past the historic Ellis Island and the Colgate clock on the Jersey City shoreline, then into the finish in Morris Canal Park with a view of the new Freedom Tower in the background. The ferry fee for swimmers is included in the entry fee. This swim is limited, so don’t wait too long to register for a not-to-be-missed event! What a wonderful opportunity to enter New York Harbor through “America’s Golden Door” as Jersey City is historically known.
PLEASE NOTE: This swim is not for novices. This event is for experienced open-water swimmers only. You should be able to swim one mile comfortably in a pool in under 40 minutes.
Registration fees
Course Map
DISTANCE: 1.5 Miles
Event Details
WATER TEMP: ~70-72° F
COURSE CUT-OFF TIME: 75 minutes
INCENTIVES: T-Shirts for all participants. Sharkfest Swim Medals for top three finishers in each age group (wetsuit & non-wetsuit combined). Personalized award plaques will also be mailed to the first place finishers in each age group (wetsuit & non-wetsuit combined).
AGE GROUP BREAKDOWN: Male and Female: 5-6, 7-8, 9-10, 11-12, 13-14, 15-17, 18-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75-79, 80-84, 85-89, 90-94, 95-100!
ENTRANT LETTER: An entrant letter with all the race day details will be emailed to all registered participants and posted online here 1-2 weeks prior to event day. Please check back for any updates and the full race day itinerary.
PARKING: You can park at this GOOGLE MAPS LOCATION inside Liberty State Park behind the Liberty House Restaurant. There is a ferry from the swim finish back to Liberty State Park.
CANCELLATIONS: Registrations are non-refundable, unless you purchased the opt-in refund protection during check-out, in which case you can file a claim online here. If you did not purchase the refund protection and you can no longer participate in this event, you may receive a rollover credit (minus a $40 processing fee) toward a future event as long as you let us know by June 10 2021. After that date, a doctor's note is required to receive a credit.
SPECTATORS INFO: If you have someone driving you to the race, they can drive and park at this GOOGLE MAPS LOCATION inside Liberty State Park behind the Liberty House Restaurant. After you board the ferry, they can drive around to the finish at this GOOGLE MAPS LOCATION (Behind the Colgate Clock) where there will be plenty of parking. If you do have someone bringing you to the race, please leave your belongings with them and they can transport them to the finish line for you.
FERRY INFO:
- There is a ferry to take swimmers from finish in Morris Canal Basin back to the start in Liberty State Park (where you parked car will be if you don't have spectators driving to the finish) after the race, this short ferry ride will be included in the cost of your entry.
- There are also multiple ferries that return to Manhattan (these are NOT included in the cost of your entry):
- The Liberty Landing Ferry goes from Liberty State Park to Manhattan (this ferry requires you to take the water taxi from finish area to start area).
- NY Waterways goes from Paulus Hook to Manhattan (Midtown W 39th St, and Brookfield Place Battery Park City). This ferry is a short two block walk from the finish line along the Hudson Riverfront Walkway to HERE (Link on Google Maps). These ferries depart every 20 minutes starting at 10:00AM.
Travel & Accommodations
Residence Inn Jersey City (Event HQ Hotel) 201-222-5500, 80 Christopher Columbus Dr, Jersey City, NJ 07302
CLICK HERE by Tues 6/8/21 to book at the special discounted rate $189/night (valid Thurs 7/8/21 through Mon 7/12/21)
John F. Kennedy International Airport
LaGuardia Airport
Newark Liberty International Airport
Race Day Details
- 5:30–6:30AM: ATHLETE CHECK-IN will be held outside the Liberty House Restaurant off of Audrey Zapp Drive in Liberty State Park on the Manhattan side of the restaurant. You MUST BRING A PHOTO ID to pick up your swim cap and have your hands marked with your race number.
- 6:30AM: PRE-RACE ANNOUNCEMENTS will be made next to the Liberty House Restaurant.
- 6:40AM: BOARD FERRY adjacent to check-in.
- 6:55AM: FERRY DEPARTS. Miss the ferry, miss the swim!
- 7:25AM: JUMP OFF FERRY starting at the first ferry horn blast. It takes about 5 minutes for everyone to get off the boat. The race will start approximately 1 minute after the last swimmer jumps off the ferry, so please swim to the paddleboard delineated start line as soon as you get in the water.
- 7:30AM: RACE START is signaled by the SECOND ferry horn blast at approximately this time.
- 9:00AM: Informal AWARDS CEREMONY will take place, announcing the age group winners (wetsuit and non-wetsuit combined) and handing out medals to those winners. Final results will be posted online at SharkfestSwim.com and personalized award plaques will be mailed a few weeks later.
- Post Race: Swimmers are encouraged to hang out with their friends and family at Morris Canal Park. It's a great spot to trade post-race "war stories" from the swim while enjoying our spread of snacks, and the view from dry land.
Contact information
- Event contact
- Enviro-Sports
- info@envirosports.com
- Website
- Visit website