Wild Swimming for 24hrs in a team…how DOES the relay work?
We regularly get asked how the 24hr Swim Relays work. So we'll do our best to explain it to you here.
The first thing to know is that it's not a race. There are no trackers or timers which means you can swim at your pace and in your own style. The challenge is in more in the longevity than your speed. 'It's a marathon not a sprint' works nicely here.
You'll be taking turns to swim for an hour each, on rotation in a lake with your besties. Everyone cheering each other on through the day and night. For 24hrs.
Each team will receive a single, coveted pink wristband at registration to be worn by whoever is swimming
The first swimmer will start swimming at midday on the dot and swim for around an hour
At 12:50 a kayaker will hangout near the exit and start waving everyone out of the lake
Swimmers will take off their wristbands and pass them to the next team members who'll be waiting on the shore in the changeover tunnel
The land safety team will check off your team name and indicate when it's safe to get in. The next swimmers will then be off on their 50-minute to 1-hour watery mission!
Swimmers will continue changing-over each hour until the full 24hrs is up and the last swimmer emerges triumphant from the lake's soggy depths. And everyone gets in together for the last lap!
You will be allowed to swim more than one hour at a time. But you'll need to exit the water on the hour with everyone else and check back in with the safety team.
How will I see anything at night?
All swimmers will need to bring two swimming lights with them. One to attach to, or put into, your tow float and one on your goggles. These lights will need to be static and different colours. The buoys will have bright, flashing lights on, and the kayaks will have more lights on. And before you know it the sun will be back up in the sky.
How will you know I'm safe?
The pink wristband is for us to know who is in the lake at any time. Volunteers will be counting swimmers in and out each hour as an extra precaution before you disappear off for a dryrobe, a hot chocolate and a piece of cake.
For the last hour, you'll all be allowed in the lake for the final hour before finishing triumphant at midday. You’ll have just completed the 24hr swim relay and raised money so that children with disabilities can have equal access to swimming! Then you’ll eat cake!
We can't wait to see you at the lake.
