Blue70 Racing

Matthew Simms

Langley, Washington | http://vimeo.com/mattlovesopenwater

Primary Discipline(s) Triathlon, Road Cycling / Criterium, Open Water Swimming, Road Running, Trail Running, Adventure Racing, Cyclocross, Skiing, Snowboarding, Hiking, Climbing, Other
Bucket List RaceSwim/Run World Championships
Post-Race DrinkSkraich
Off-Day Activityfixing my Hobie Cat

I am an open water swimmer, triathlete, swim/run adventurer, ultramarathon runner, and backcountry hiker with more than 20 years in the Pacific Northwest. With an incredible group of open water swimmers on Whidbey Island I've been fortunate to log more than 300 miles of swimming in Puget Sound in 2020, with time in Seattle, Richmond Beach, Edmonds, Bellingham, Port Townsend, Anacortes, Admiralty Inlet, Saratoga Passage, and many other locations in temperatures as low as 42F and with a long swim of nearly 5 miles. My triathlon background includes three Ironman events including qualifying for and racing in the Ironman World Championships. My ultramarathon experience includes finishes at the Western States 100 and a top 10 finish at the US National 50 Mile Trail Championships. I run, hike, and scramble all over the PNW backcountry and swim in most lakes I find. I have served my local community over 15 years as an elected Parks and Recreation District Commissioner and have worked for many years with other community stakeholders to build and support pool-based and open water aquatic programs for people of all ages across South Whidbey Island. I am a member of an amazing team of passionate people currently working on the feasibility of a public aquatic wellness center as a critically important thread in the fabric of a healthy and vibrant local community.