Swimrun Australia

Updated January 2025

Swimrun Australia held its first event in 2016, in Sydney, organised by Adriel Young. The race was repeated for the next 3 years, but had to be cancelled in 2021 and 2022 for obvious reasons.

Adriel has now moved to Sweden, and Swimrun Australia has been taken over by Andre Slade, who runs the company Ocean Fit . Andre took part in the very first event in 2016, and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience!

Swimrun Australia

Inaugural event 2016. Image courtesy Andre Slade and Ocean Fit Pty.

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Swimrun Australia

Andre announced that everything was approved to run the Sydney East event on 11th May.

In 2025, the Sydney East race is scheduled for 12th April, a month earlier than in 2024.

There are 3 race distances;

The Long Course is a total of 16km, including 11 swim legs of 3.4km total and 11 running sections of 12.6km total. It takes teams from Lyne Park to Rose Bay, then Hornby lighthouse, Watsons Bay and back.

The Short Course is over a total distance of 5.5km,and is intended to be an introductory event, to help people to have a go at swimrun without a big commitment in time and training.

The Short Course runs from Lyne Park to Rose Bay, Nielson Park, Vaucluse and back to Lyne Park for the finish. There is 2.1km of swimming over 5 legs, and 2.9km of running, also over 5 legs.

There is also an Experience distance of 3 km, made up of 750 metres of swimming and 2.25 km running divided over 7 legs or sections.

Here is a link to the course description.

The Short course event has a limit of 100 teams and a minimum age of 14.

The Long course has a limit of 200 teams and a minimum age of 15 years.

Teams

The classifications are for male teams of 2, female teams of 2, and mixed teams of 2, as well as solo (individual) entries for the shorter events.

For both events, there is a minimum requirement that you MUST be able to swim at least 1000 metres in open water in one go. I would add a comment that you should be able to do this in 30 minutes or less, at a minimum.

For more information and advice about tacking your first swimrun, take a look at our dedicated page at Your First Swimrun Event. My main recommendations regarding your level of fitness are:

You should be able to swim 2,000m in a pool in well under an hour; 2 minutes per 100 metres would be good.
You should be able to run 10 miles on road at 10 minutes per mile pace.

These requirements will mean you have a very good chance of finishing inside the cut-off time, not being last, and most of all, having fun!

Swimrun Australia

Here was the schedule for the day, the 29th April 2024;

6:30 AM - Registration Opens
7:30 AM - Compulsory Race Briefing
7:45 AM - Championship Race Start (Male/Female/Mixed)
7:50 AM - Race Start - Long Course Male Open
7:55 AM - Race Start - Long Course Female Open
8:00 AM - Race Start - Long Course Mixed Open
8:05 AM - Race Start - Short Course Male Open
8:10 AM - Race Start - Short Course Female Open
8:15 AM - Race Start - Short Course Mixed Open
11:30 AM - Presentations

The venue for the event was the Woollahra Sailing Club in Lyne Park, New South Head Road, Rose Bay. Swimrun Australia recommended that you take public transport. There is a ferry stop and 2 bus stops within 200m of the race start. There is limited parking in Lyne Park, and on New South Head Road.

Swimrun Australia
- new events

Swimrun Australia has announced MORE events!

First, Melbourne is set for 29th March 2025, with distances of 4 km (Discovery) and 16.3 km (Enduro).

Second, Miami Beach on the Gold Coast, Queensland, on 13th September 2025, starting at Rainbow Bay. The races cover 2 km (Stroke 'n' Stride), 5 km (Sprint), 12.5 km (Short), and 20 km (Long).

Third, Sydney North, on 11th October 2025, starting at Clontarf Reserve and finishing at Queenscliff, Manly Beach. The distances are 2 km, 9 km and 17 km.

Swimrun Australia
- the future

Andre has plans to add events to the Swimrun Australia calendar, but wants to do this gradually to ensure good planning and sustainability.

The first step will be city-based urban swimrun events, which means they will be accessible and manageable. The next steps would be regional venues, possibly followed in the future (eventually) by New Zealand.

This would obviously help to fill the void left by Breca, who no longer run the Wanaka nor Bay of Islands events. However, it's a big step to cross the Tasman Sea, and run a major event 4 time zones away.

We will be keeping up to date with Swimrun Australia's plans and events, and will be adding news to our Latest News page, and of course our calendars!

New race director of Swimrun Australia, Andre Slade, and his then fiancée (now wife) at the finish of the first swimrun event in Sydney in 2016.