Photo courtesy of Todd Temple Photography.
Meredith Burney hosted the inaugural Magic at the Mountain Open Water Swim, marking Alabama’s first competitive lake swim and the state’s first standalone open water swim sanctioned by USA Triathlon.
The calm waters of Double Oak Lake looked serene on the morning of May 2, but beneath the surface, history was being made. More than just another endurance event, the inaugural Magic at the Mountain Open Water Swim marked Alabama’s first competitive lake swim and the state’s first standalone open water swim sanctioned by USA Triathlon.
The event, hosted by Magic Sports and inspired by Birmingham Area Multisport founder Meredith Burney, drew athletes from across the Southeast to test their skills in an environment where there are no lane lines, no walls, and no two races are ever the same.
Held at Oak Mountain State Park, the event featured four race distances — 0.5 mile, 1 mile, 2 miles and 5 kilometers — designed to appeal to a wide range of athletes, from novice triathletes to experienced collegiate and masters swimmers. Participants entered the water in staggered wave starts based on race distance, prioritizing safety while creating a smooth race experience.
For Burney, the event was the realization of a vision rooted in decades of swimming experience.
“I grew up as an age group swimmer, swam for my state championship high school team and then four years in college, but my most beloved memories were spent swimming across my grandpa’s lake in Michigan and then competing in ocean swims when my family moved to Hawaii,” Burney said. “The opportunity to bring that experience of open water swimming to my new home in Birmingham, Alabama, was something I was passionate about and knew it could be successful in attracting athletes from all over the Southeast.”
That vision found the perfect partner in Magic Sports, a longtime leader in endurance event production. Burney had previously raced and volunteered with the organization and was impressed by its successful management of the open water swim competition during the 2025 World Police & Fire Games.
Oak Mountain State Park proved to be a natural fit for the inaugural race. Burney leads a free weekly open water swim at Double Oak Lake and knew the venue offered both beauty and accessibility.
“Oak Mountain State Park is the largest Alabama state park, is clean and beautiful,” she said. “This was also the first competitive lake swim in Alabama.”
Unlike pool racing, open water swimming presents unique challenges. Athletes must navigate without lane lines, sight landmarks, adjust to weather conditions and share the water with local wildlife. Those elements, however, are exactly what attract many competitors.
“People want adventure,” Burney said. “They want variables like weather, waves, sighting landmarks to stay on the shortest course, to be factored into a unique race day experience. No two open water swims will ever be the same.”
Safety remained a central focus throughout the event. Four certified lifeguards from local YMCAs, Pelham Fire & Rescue personnel in a powerboat, and 20 volunteers on kayaks and paddleboards monitored the course. Their efforts paid off, as not a single athlete required assistance during the race.
The event also demonstrated the growing popularity of open water swimming. Competitors traveled from Tennessee, Mississippi, Indiana and Illinois, while local organizations including Magic City Triathlon Club and Vulcan Triathlon Club supplied swimmers and volunteers. One standout performance came from 13-year-old Birmingham Area Multisport athlete Coco Rocque, who captured the overall victory in the 2-mile swim.
