Please read this page before pressing "REGISTER" button at bottom!
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To Participate
Registration & Qualification
Thank you for your interest in joining with us for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!
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Swimmers will be accepted on a first-come-first-served basis for the 68 relay positions of the Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial Swim, once registration opens at 9:00 a.m. EDT on June 10, 2024. Four slots will be available for each of the 17 swim stages. Swimmers may register for more than one stage and may also register additional swimmers (on a single credit card). If registering additional swimmers, please enter THEIR email, phone, and address so we may contact them directly.
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Swimmers registering for a swim stage that is sold out will be added to a waitlist for that particular stage. You may join the waitlist for as many stages as desired. Replacement swimmers (if needed) will always be summoned from a waitlist on a first-come-first-served basis.
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As a condition of your acceptance to participate, you must commit to being on-site and ready to swim on a scheduled off day occurring both before and after your targeted swim date. This is a 3-day commitment, except for Stage 1 and Stage 17 (the first and last stages), which are 2-day commitments. See Schedule.
This is a historical experience, not a race, and swimmers of all levels are welcome!
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We only ask that applicants can swim at least 1 mile continuously before resting. When registering, we will ask you your time for swimming a mile in a pool. If we estimate that the combined times for a stage's foursome would likely make for a longer time on the water than would be prudent, we reserve the right to refund an entry fee to a slower swimmer in favor of a faster swimmer on the waitlist. While we anticipate and hope this will not happen, this scenario is a little more likely for the longer swim stages.
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Minors (age 17 and under) must be registered by a parent or adult guardian who is also registered to swim in their foursome.
Fundraising
Thank you for helping to renovate the Whitefish Point Lighthouse, which safeguards mariners along Lake Superior's "Shipwreck Coast!"
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Each swimmer will be asked to raise a minimum of $2,500 for the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society, a 501(c)(3) organization, who will be in charge of the renovation project. All funds raised go directly to the charity and are 100% tax deductible. (Entry fees go to Event Marketing Enterprises to manage the event and are not tax deductible).
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When registering on the RunSignUp platform, you will set up your own online fundraising page that may be shared with all your potential donors for easy credit card payments. We encourage you also to share this website for building enthusiasm among your supporters!
The official fundraising campaign opens on October 15, 2024, but you may begin fundraising immediately following registration to get a head start on the game.
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The top fundraiser will receive the honor of ringing the actual Edmund Fitzgerald bell at the 50th anniversary
Edmund Fitzgerald memorial event, held at the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum on November 10, 2025! More details on fundraising prizes will be posted here soon.
To keep fundraising on track, swimmers will be asked to meet four bimonthly fundraising milestones over an 8-month fundraising campaign. Unfortunately, if a swimmer does not meet their minimum fundraising milestone by the deadline, they will be replaced by a swimmer from the waitlist. Following is the fundraising schedule.
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Fundraising campaign opens on OCTOBER 15, 2024
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$625 raised by DECEMBER 15, 2024
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$1,250 raised by FEBRUARY 15, 2025
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$1,875 raised by APRIL 15, 2025
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$2,500 raised by JUNE 15, 2025
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​IMPORTANT: If registering for more than one stage, please note that your minimum fundraising commitment will be $2,500 for EACH stage. We will adjust your online fundraising page to reflect the total after you register and the above fundraising milestones will be adjusted accordingly.
Entry Fees
Entry Fees range from $500 to $2,000 and vary depending on the stage. The entry fee for each swim stage is listed below.
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STAGE 1: Edmund Fitzgerald Wreck Site - $2,000
STAGE 2: Whitefish Bay Crossing - $1,250
STAGE 3: Sault Ste. Marie / Soo Locks - $1,750
STAGE 4: Upper St. Mary's River - $600
STAGE 5: Lower St. Mary's River - $600
STAGE 6: Lake Huron Crossing - $1,750
STAGE 7: 40-Mile Point - Presque Isle - $600
STAGE 8: Presque Isle - Thunder Bay Island - $600
STAGE 9: Thunder Bay Crossing - $600
STAGE 10: Sturgeon Point - Au Sable - $600
STAGE 11: Saginaw Bay Crossing - $1,750
STAGE 12: Grindstone City - Harbor Beach - $600
STAGE 13: Harbor Beach - Forester / Port Sanilac - $600
STAGE 14: Forester / Port Sanilac - Lexington - $500
STAGE 15: Lexington - Port Huron - $750
STAGE 16: St. Clair River - $1,750
STAGE 17: Lake St. Clair Crossing - $2,000
Refunds & Replacement Swimmers
Prior to the start of the fundraising campaign, entry fees are refundable, provided a replacement swimmer from the waitlist is secured by the event.
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During the fundraising campaign, entry fees are refundable if the swimmer has met their next minimum fundraising milestone for the current 2-month fundraising period in which they opt out, and provided a replacement swimmer from the waitlist is secured by the event. In this scenario, the replacement swimmer from the waitlist will pay an entry fee and the original swimmer’s entry fee will be refunded. If the original swimmer is short in reaching their fundraising milestone, and does not pay the difference out of pocket themselves (to get their entry fee refunded), the replacement swimmer will pay the fundraising shortfall out of pocket in lieu of an entry fee.
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In any of the above scenarios, the replacement swimmer will be responsible for meeting fundraising milestones going forward (adding to the total raised by the original swimmer).
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Following the fundraising campaign, and during the event, a replacement swimmer will simply pay an entry fee with no fundraising requirement (as the minimum fundraising goal has already been met by the original swimmer). The original swimmer’s entry fee will be refunded at the time payment is received from the replacement swimmer.
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RunSignUp registration processing fees ARE NOT refundable.
Fundraising revenue is NEVER refundable, even in the unlikely event the swim is cancelled. ​