Oceanman alternatives: multi day open water swim events to consider
If you love the Oceanman experience but want more than a single race day, there are alternatives worth knowing. This guide looks at multi day open water swim events, warm water marathon swims and the 33.3km English Channel format, so you can find the right next challenge.
BEYOND OCEANMAN
What to look for in an Oceanman alternative
Single day races suit swimmers who want a fast result in one location. If you want more, look for an event that gives you real distance, warm water, expert support and time to recover and explore. A multi day open water marathon swim ticks all four. UltraSwim 33.3 delivers the full 33.3km English Channel distance across four manageable days of 7 to 9km, in 19 to 26 degree water, with luxury hotels, daily boat and kayak cover and a community that travels together. You get the achievement and the story of a famous distance, without the cold water, the tides or the logistics of a solo crossing.
In short, look for real distance of 33.3km, warm 19 to 26 degree water, and hotels and support included.
Why swimmers switch
What you gain from the four day format
The biggest difference is time. A single race is over in a morning. A multi day event gives you a week: four mornings of swimming, four afternoons of recovery and exploration, and the slow build of friendships that only happens when a group shares a real challenge. By the final day the swimmers around you have become a tribe, and the finish is shared. Add the warm water, the luxury hotels and the all inclusive format, and a race becomes an adventure that swimmers plan their year around. Most arrive alone and leave with friends for life.
- A full week, not a morning
- Recovery and exploration
- Friends for life
On the water
Continuous safety cover every day
Every UltraSwim 33.3 group swims with two safety boats and two kayaks alongside, GPS tracking and on water feeding, with a medical and physio team on site each day. That level of cover is what lets swimmers of a wide range of speeds take on 33.3km with confidence, knowing help is always a few metres away.
- Two boats, two kayaks per group
- GPS tracking and feeding
- Medical and physio on site
Multi day series options
Open water series that run more than one race day
Oceanman remains the largest single day open water series. If a single day format is your blocker, the alternatives are limited but growing. UltraSwim 33.3 runs four staged days across one venue. The English Channel Relay does six legs over up to 14 hours. The Bosphorus crossing runs as a single competitive day. The Hellespont crossing is a one day swim. Mass participation single day events dominate. The four day format that UltraSwim 33.3 occupies is rare because the operational footprint is heavier: hotel base camp, safety boat fleet, coach rotation across four days and a course rebuild between race days. The trade off is that swimmers leave with a week of memories rather than a few hours.
- Single day options remain dominant
- Multi day formats: UltraSwim 33.3
- Operational footprint behind the format
All inclusive
One package, everything covered
From 1,800 euros, an UltraSwim 33.3 package covers four days of supported swimming, luxury hotel accommodation, breakfasts and lunches, transfers, a preparation programme and the finisher experience. It is designed so that once you arrive, everything is taken care of and all you have to think about is the swimming and the people you meet.
- All inclusive from 1,800 euros
- Hotel, meals and transfers
- Preparation programme included
What Comes After Oceanman?
YOUR OPTIONS
UltraSwim 33.3: multi day adventure swimming
UltraSwim 33.3 is the most distinct alternative to Oceanman on this list. Rather than a longer single day race, it is a four day event covering 33.3km total, the exact English Channel crossing distance, staged across warm water iconic locations in Croatia, Montenegro, Greece, Switzerland, Barcelona and the Caribbean. It is all inclusive from €1,800. The multi day format means you recover between stages, which makes the total distance accessible to a much wider range of swimmers than a single day 33.3km would be.
World Aquatics open water marathon circuit
The World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Series runs 10km races at elite level. If you are targeting competitive performance, this is the international standard. Entry is selective and qualifying standards apply. Most amateur Oceanman finishers will find this circuit is above their current level unless they are high performing age groupers.
Solo channel crossings and extreme open water swims
The English Channel solo crossing (33.3km, one day, cold water, shipping lanes) is the ultimate open water benchmark. Preparation takes one to three years of serious open water training including cold water acclimatisation and multiple qualifier swims. These are serious multi year commitments appropriate only for dedicated marathon swimmers.
Long distance mass participation swims
Various lake crossings and bay swims sit in the space between Oceanman and full channel swims. They vary hugely in access, qualifying requirements and format. Many are point to point swims without safety kayaks. Solo navigation is required. Check each event's entry criteria carefully.
Which option is right for you?
If you want adventure, community, iconic locations and all inclusive support, UltraSwim 33.3 is the standout choice after Oceanman. If you want performance racing at longer distances, the World Aquatics circuit is your direction. If you want the ultimate solo challenge, start planning a channel crossing. Most swimmers stepping up from Oceanman find UltraSwim 33.3 hits the sweet spot: genuinely challenging, genuinely epic, but achievable without years of elite preparation.
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And the links to the benefits & pricing sheet
Try the four day format
Nothing great is easy. Swim 33.3km across four days in warm water, with everything organised for you. A 500 euro deposit secures your place, fully refundable within 30 days.
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