The Rules of the Race. Clear, Fair, and Designed for Safety.

Participants must be aged 14 or over on the date of the event. Swimmers aged 14 to 17 must be accompanied by a registered adult guardian who is also a race participant. All participants must complete the full registration process, including medical declaration, before their entry is confirmed. Entries are non-transferable to another swimmer without written consent from the Race Director.

Permitted equipment: swimming costume or swimsuit, goggles, swim cap (provided), earplugs, and nose clips. Neoprene or silicone swim caps may be worn for warmth and do not constitute a wetsuit category. Wetsuits and neoprene shorts can be worn, and place you in the Wetsuit category even if only worn once. Anti-chafe lubricants are permitted. All other equipment, including pull buoys, fins, hand paddles, and flotation devices, is prohibited unless authorised in writing by the Race Director for a verified medical reason.

Every swimmer is assigned a personal kayak escort during each race stage. The kayak escort carries your safety kit, water, nutrition, and emergency provisions. Swimmers must remain within five metres of their escort at all times. If a swimmer becomes detached from their escort, they must stop and wait. Failure to comply is grounds for disqualification. Emergency withdrawal from the water can be initiated by the swimmer, their escort, or any race official. A swimmer who exits the water at any point other than a designated finish point must be cleared by the medical team before continuing.

Swimmers must follow the designated course as briefed. Deliberate course shortcutting, drafting behind motorised vessels, or using any fixed or floating structure for rest or propulsion is not permitted. Contact with other swimmers must be accidental and incidental. Deliberate physical contact, obstruction, or unsportsmanlike behaviour will result in a time penalty or disqualification at the Race Director's discretion. All swimmers must treat fellow competitors, officials, safety staff, and volunteers with respect at all times.

Timing is cumulative across all four days. The official finish time is the sum of each stage time. Recoveryperiods in between stages are not included in race time. Results are published by gender and skins/wetsuit. Sometimes age group results are also published as follows: Under 30, 30 to 39, 40 to 49, 50 to 59, 60 to 69, and 70 plus. The Race Director may amend stage distances in response to weather, safety, or operational conditions. Amended distances will be reflected in official results.

A swimmer who does not start will be recorded as DNS. A swimmer who does not complete a stage is recorded as Did Not Finish (DNF) and cannot continue in that stage, but of course can start the next swim leg s normal. Appeals against official decisions must be submitted in writing to the Race Director within two hours of the relevant stage finish. The Race Director's decision is final. No appeals will be considered after the final stage results are published.