At this time in a normal year, we’d be gearing up to open registration for the Portland Bridge Swim in January 1. This is not a normal year.
We are excited about the vaccines and we’re finally feeling some hope after a long, hard year. We know that this pandemic won’t keep us apart forever. But 2021 just isn’t going to be our year.
There will be no Portland Bridge Swim in 2021. From where we are right now, we can’t tell how stable things will be in July. We can’t make the finances work for an event that may or may not happen, and we’d prefer to let you keep your money now rather than refund it later. Most important to us, though, is safety. We are not going to bring people together, through nonessential travel or race-day rescues, until it’s safe. To you, to our volunteers, to our medical system, to our community. We only put on this race when we know we can do it safely, and we don’t know that this year.
I’ve missed you all. I miss getting to meet you and hearing your stories of what brought you to the river. I miss the electricity of sending you off under the Sellwood Bridge. I miss the love I feel watching you emerge from the water at Cathedral Park. I miss our volunteers and the huge grins they have as they watch over you. I miss our community.
I hope you and your families are safe. I hope you’re finding ways to keep your balance. I hope you’re able to get into water sometimes, even if it’s just to float and relax. Especially if you can float and relax. We have our sights on our next race, on July 10, 2022. Until then, take care of your people and keep going. Drop us a line if you feel like it, tell us how you’re doing. We miss you.
