The Great Cross Sound Race

Distance: 7 Miles
Difficulty: 2
Pre-race meeting: 8:15 a.m.
Race start: 9:00 a.m.

Getting to the Start

From I-5 north or south take the Spokane St. bridge to West Seattle. Take the Harbor Ave. Exit and stay on this road as it follows the waterway to Alki Beach. If you arrive early, there should be plenty of parking along the beach area.

Race Course

The course heads out west to Blakely rock off Bainbridge Island. After turning counter-clockwise around the rock, head southeast to Decatur Reef. Turn around the buoy off the reef and head back toward Alki Point.

Course Record

Tyler Peterson and Evan Jacobs, 49:44 in 2006 in a 2x.

Awards

Awards for 1-3 in each category, plus the Windermere Cup for fastest individual man and woman.

Historical Note

The Great Cross Sound Race originally started at Alki and finished on Bainbridge Island. The last race to compete this course was in 1987. From 1988 to 1993, it was changed to a round trip course that started at Alki Beach, went around Blakely Rock, the mid-channel buoy and returned. The record for that course is held by Greg Barton, 50:35 in 1993 in an HPK. The current course, adopted in 1994 goes around Blakely Rock, south to Decatur Reef and returns to Alki Beach.