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Not much about the basic nature of the event has changed since 1916.

You start at La Jolla Cove, swim out a considerable distance, turn around and swim back. The best of them — in the Gatorman 3-mile race — do it in under an hour.

That's a swim from the Cove to Scripps Pier and back. That may be where the "rough" comes from in Rough Water Swim.

The series of races start with the junior 250-yard swim at 9 a.m., followed by the amateur, men's and women's masters and gatorman. Observers are always welcome (although, compared to horses racing around the nearby Del Mar Racetrack, this is a mighty slow and highly personal event).

The La Jolla race is billed as the oldest and largest "rough water swim" in the country. Even with limits of up to 600 swimmers, some categories actually fill up. (If you don't have an application in by the deadline, just come watch and plan for next year. No late or day of entries permitted.)

Registration information here.

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