theevent

Race Information, Rules and Entry Form

Please read the following information carefully before completing your Entry form .

Race Description
The Magnetic Island to Townsville Swim starts at waters edge, in front of the Picnic Bay SLSC at Picnic Bay, on Magnetic Island and finishes at waters edge, in front of the SLSC on the Strand Park beach (south east side of jetty). The course is almost a straight line, heading south from the island, over Pinic Bay Reef and to The Strand, with a zig zag sprint of approx 700m leading into the finish. Total race distance is approximately 8.5 kilometres.

The event was first held in 1954 and is the longest open water swimming race in Queensland and northern Australia.
You can choose to enter either as a solo, duo or in teams of four. Duos and teams swim in a relay, with changeovers occurring whenever they choose

Race Details
Compulsory Briefing : Friday 11^th July, 6.00pm,
Dalle Cort Financial Services, 221 Sturt Street, Townsville.
Attendance is compulsory for swimmers and recommended for skippers and paddlers.
Arrive from 5.45pm. Briefing commences 6.00pm sharp

Race Date : Saturday, 12^th July, 2008
Start Time : Solos 12.30pm, Duos & teams 12.45pm
Finish Time : 4.45pm
Presentations : 6.00pm

Competitor Numbers
As the 2008 event is the inaugural cageless race, the organizers are limiting the number of competitors to ensure a safe and successful race.

Entry Process
To be accepted, entry forms must be fully completed including full payment of the entry fee. Incomplete entries will not be accepted, and will be returned for completion. Should the number of entries exceed the limit set for the event, all subsequent entries and payments will be returned. Duo and Team entries will be accepted on a first in, first served basis.
Once the number of completed duo and team entries have been received, registrations will close for those categories. Solo entries will close on Friday 20^th June.

Insurance
All insurance is the responsibility of competitors and participants.

Inclement Weather
The safety of all people involved in the event is paramount. The race committee will be responsible for making a decision on whether or not to start the event, if weather conditions are poor. If the race is cancelled due to bad weather, it will be rescheduled to the following day, Sunday 13^th July. If the weather is again unsuitable, the 2008 race will be abandoned. See FAQs for details of normal prevailing weather conditions.

Refunds
All applications for a refund must be made by Friday 27^th June. An administration fee of $30 will be retained per entry. There will be no refunds after this date. Should the race be abandoned due to bad weather, entry fees will not be refunded.

Enquiries
Please email all enquiries to
Or: Magnetic Island Swim Association Inc, P O Box 1315, Aitkenvale, QLD, 4814.

Race Briefing
A compulsory race briefing will be held on Friday 11^th July time & venue TBA. All swimmers and support boat skippers must attend. The briefing will provide final precise information on the event, the course, safety information, support craft management, swim rules & regulations. A race briefing pack will also be handed out at the briefing. The pack includes the event shirt, swim cap, and race information.

Paddlers and Support Boats
The event organizers realize the difficulties faced by some swimmers (particularly from out of town or interstate) in finding support craft. For this reason, for any competitor who requires it, the race committee will assist in providing you with a paddler and/or support boat. We have negotiated with the local surf clubs for them to provide paddlers for anyone who needs one. The fee for the paddler is $100, by way of a donation to Surf Lifesaving Queensland. If you dont have a paddler and want the organizers to provide one, simply tick the box on the entry form and include payment with your entry. We have a list of support boats who have agreed to offer their services. We will
provide this list to anyone who requires it. You should then make direct contact with the
skipper to secure their services and negotiate their fee. Support boat details must be included
on duo/teams entry forms. Entries for duos/teams without support boat details are not
complete and will not be accepted.

Race Rules
Race Briefing. All swimmers must attend the race briefing on Friday 11^th July.

Etiquette : All swimmers, paddlers & skippers are to behave in a fair and sportsmanlike manner without any interference or aggression toward any other swimmer or boat in the event.

Minimum Age. Solo swimmers must be at least 14 years of age on the day of the race. The minimum age for duo and team swimmers is 12. note that for all duos and teams containing swimmer(s) under the age of 18, an adult must be on the support boat to assist and supervise their race.

Swim Costumes. Any swim costumes which are deemed legal as per FINA rules, will be acceptable in this event.   This includes Fast Skin materials and suits which cover the torso and legs.   No wetsuits, vests or swimwear which may assist buoyancy will be permitted.

Swim Caps/Race Numbers. All swimmers must wear the prescribed cap and display their race number on their arm throughout the event.

Swim Aids. No swimmer shall use or be assisted by artificial aids of any kind.

Equipment. Swimmers are permitted to use grease, goggles, swim caps (not neoprene) and nose clips.

Qualifying Swim. Solo swimmers must complete a 5 km open water swim within twelve months of race day, in a time of les than 2 hours 15 minutes. If there are no events of this distance in your area, your entry will be accepted if you can provide evidence to the committee that you are capable of completing the event within the time limit.   Evidence may include a list of your ocean swims within the last two years, your training logs or a letter of support from your swim coach.
Duo and team swimmers must complete a 2 km open water swim within twelve months of race day.
Please note that a race will be held on the Strand on Saturday 7^th June, incorporating both a 5k and 2.5k event.

Support Craft. All solo swimmers must be accompanied by a paddler throughout the event (one paddler per swimmer).   All duos and relay teams must be accompanied by a paddler throughout the event. Duos and teams must also have a motorized support craft.   The support craft will rendezvous with the team swimmer & paddler as soon as practicable after the swimmer crosses Pinic Bay Reef and will remain with the swimmer until the final sprint (approx. 300 metres off the Strand Beach). The paddler is the first and closest safety contact for the swimmers and also assists with holding the correct course and providing sustenance. The boat provides support and back up to both the swimmer and paddler, as well as carrying other members of the team and support crew.

Contact with paddlers craft or support boat. For safety reasons, the swimmer can stop and rest and hold onto the support craft, provided the craft is stationery and not moving in a forward direction. If a swimmer is seen to be towed by a support craft, the swimmer/team will be immediately disqualified, and withdrawn from the race.   No allowance will be made to the swimmers/teams finishing time for stoppages.

Support Boat Position. For safety reasons, support boats are not permitted to travel directly in front or directly behind a swimmer.   Subject to available water space, the boat must always travel alongside the swimmer.

Support Boat Requirements. Support boats must be seaworthy and licenced to carry the number of passengers who will be involved in the team and crew, including the swimmer and paddler. The support craft must also carry all required safety equipment (lifejackets etc.) for all persons on board. The boat must also be fitted with a marine radio, and must have a working mobile phone on board.   Jet Skis are not suitable to act as support boats.

Drafting. No drafting is permitted off support boats or other swimmers.   Drafting off a motorized craft is extremely dangerous, and drafting off other swimmers is unsportsmanlike.   Offenders risk instant disqualification.

Safety Control Points. There will be four safety control points on the course.

Paddler meeting point. Solos and lead off duo/team swimmers should meet up with their paddler as soon as practicable after the start of the event. A safety control point (consisting of two large coloured buoys, approximately 100 metres apart, through which all swimmers must pass) will be located 500 metres off the beach from the start line.   All swimmers must have linked up with their paddler at this point. Anyone not having done so, cannot proceed beyond this point without a paddler.   An official boat will be located at this point to ensure this rule is strictly enforced.

Support boat meeting point. Duos and team swimmers and paddlers will meet up with their motorized support boat on the southern (mainland side) of Pinic Bay Reef, approx. 1.3 to 1.4 klms from the start.   A safety control point (same as above, 100m apart, through which all swimmers must pass) will indicate this meeting point. Duos and teams will not be permitted to proceed beyond this point without their boat.   An official boat will be located at this point to ensure this rule is enforced.   Whilst waiting for their team, the support boat must wait "outside" (on the western or eastern sides) of these bouys, so as to provide clear passge for swimmers.   When it is safe to do so, the support boat may pull alongside the swimmer/paddler.   Team change overs can then commence.

Midway control point. A safety control point will be located 4 klms from the start, at approximately the half way point of the course.   It will consist of two large coloured buoys, approximately 200m apart, through which all swimmers must pass.   A cut off time of 2 hours apply to all competitors.   Any swimmer/team which does not pass between these buoys within the time limit, will be disqualified and asked to leave the water.

Final Sprint. The final sprint will commence approx. 300m offshore from the finish (off the SLSC headland).   For safety reasons, no motorized support craft or paddlers will be permitted to proceed past this point.   Paddlers should proceed straight into the beach, directly in front of the SLSC.   Support boats should move away from the race course but may anchor or beach on the southern side of the headland (subject to weather conditions).   Boat owners are solely responsible for their craft at all times.

Cut Off Times. For solos : 2 hours at the midway control point (4 km mark) and 4 hours 15 minutes at the finish.   For duos/teams : 1 hour 45 minutes at the 4 km mark and 4 hours at the finish.   For safety reasons, any swimmers who have not passed these points by the designated time, will be disqualified and asked to leave the water.

Right of Way. All support boats must give way to swimmers in the water, at all times.   Swimmers must use common sense. The risk of propeller injuries, is the greatest danger you will face during the event.   If it appears that a boat is coming too close for comfort, do everything you can to alert the driver to your presence, and get out of its way.