AM I READY?

33.3km over 4 days is a daunting challenge for most swimmers. Good preparation is needed and you must be determined, however don’t be intimated. Our experts are here to support you and our events see swimmers with a wide range of experience complete the 33.3km distance.

We get asked this question a lot.

‘How good of a swimmer do I need to be to take on the UltraSwim 33.3 challenge?’

in theory it’s simple… if you are a good swimmer, prepare well and are determined, you belong at our events.

But to save the overthinking, we’ll break it down for you…

We think you’re ready if:

Pace

You can swim at least 2.5km in an hour in a pool (this will translate to potentially 2 kilometres per hour over longer distances in open water which is our on-water cut off pace in good conditions)  

Endurance

You’ve comfortably managed a 3km swim or more, in open water before you come to the event

Commitment

You are committed to training and preparing. You might not have all the requirements but with coaching, training, and commitment you will get there. You should feel some discomfort when you enter - that’s normal!  

Open water

You’re comfortable in open water, even when it’s not totally flat (again, you don’t need loads of experience, just a small amount)

Front crawl

You can swim front crawl continuously, our event isn’t suitable for breaststrokers unless your timings are exceptional. We have had breaststrokers take part but, again, unless you are extremely competent, it’s not advised.

You don’t have to be an elite swimmer to be a winner at UltraSwim 33.3. And we mean that. Most people won’t even get to the start line and that’s 90% of the work. We know (because we’ve seen it first hand) that with the right preparation, anyone can become a 33.3 Finisher. And you know what, even if you don’t make all the finish lines, you’ll be enormously respected for what you’ve achieved, regardless. Swimming might be a ‘solo’ activity, but at our events, it is more like a team sport, with everyone helping each other out and supporting one another.

If it’s still too daunting for you to imagine doing the SOLO 33.3, there is a DUO 22.2km or even DISCOVERY 11.1km