ANOTHER LEVEL PERFORMANCE

1. WOWSA Rules for open water swimming apply to 5km swim, in regard to swimsuits, feeding, and no drafting from boats. WOWSA rules may change from time to time. It is the responsibility of each swimmer to ensure compliance.
2. Solos 5km swim  unassisted will be ratified. Assisted swim includes: speed suits, wetsuits and fins.
3. Registrations close 30 minutes prior to your wave start. If you are not registered by this time, you will not be permitted to start the race.  Each solo swimmer will collect their swim cap.
4. All solo swimmers must be able to complete a 5km open water swim in less than 3 hours. The swim cut off is 3 hours.
5. The minimum age of all swimmers on the date of the swim is 14 years.
6. 12-year-olds can only compete in duos of the Bondi to Coogee if they swim with a guardian and must have parental or guardian consent to take part in the event found in the waiver section of the registration form.
7. Solo swimmers must be at least 14 years old and have parental or guardian consent to take part in the event.
8. All swimmers under 18 years of age must have parent or guardian consent to participate in the event. All solo swimmers must have completed the qualifying standards.
9. Swimmers must be accompanied by any of the following: a kayaker, OR  ski paddler, board paddler, jet ski or boat.
10. All swimmers must have their race number on their arms for the event. Swimmers are responsible for marking in black waterproof ink their race number prior to race start.
11. You must be officially registered to swim the Bondi to Coogeeswims. Failure to adhere to this rule will result in a ban from all Another Level Performance events.
12. IF timing straps are used: Swimmers are required to wear a timing strap. They must cross over the timing mat and enter the swimmers starting chute for the timing strap to register. Swimmers must also cross over the finish line mat to register the official swim time. Timing straps must be handed over at the end of the race and all will incur a fine.
13. Swimmers must wear their dedicated  brightly coloured swim cap at all times throughout the event.
14. The Bondi to Coogeeswim will have two categories of swimmers:

UNASSISTED CATEGORY

Swimsuits must comply with WOWSA’s Open Water Swimming Rules. WOWSA states that a complying suit:

1. It is a woven textile material
2. Does not cover the neck
3. Does not extend beyond the shoulders or ankles.
4. Does not have a zip or other fastening system

A list of approved swimsuits can be found on the WOWSA website. It is the swimmer’s responsibility to ensure their swimsuit complies with WOWSA rules.

Swimmers MAY:

1. Females may wear two suits as long one suit only comprises of a brief or bikini.
2. Wool Fat/Lanolin/Vasoline
3. Wear goggles
4. Wear a nose clip
5. Wear a swim cap, the Bondi to Coogee cap to show swimmers category
6. Wear ear plugs

ASSISTED CATEGORY:

1. Speed suits
2. Wear a rash vest
3. Wetsuits must be no thicker than 5mm and Race numbers must be written on race swim cap.
4. Use fins

1. ASSISTED swimmers will not be competing against UNASSISTED for prizes and/or records.
2. Each swimmer has indemnified Another Level Performance Pty Ltd any of it’s officers or members contributing to organisation of the race, the Medical support, Department of Transport, NSW Maritime services NSW Marine Rescue, Westpac Lifesaver Rescue Helicopter Sydney, Randwick Council, Waverley Council, any of the Eastern Suburbs Beaches SLSC and their officers and swim officials against any claim for damages or injury arising from conduct of the swim.
3. Participation in these events is voluntary and the organisation’s officials or volunteers can accept no liability on the day of the Bondi Coogee swim.
4. Swimmers must complete sections of the event at specific times (refer to cut-off times). If solo, duo or team swimmers have not reached the stipulated distances within the time limit; they must leave the water and travel by their support boat to the finish or back to the mainland. Those who don’t meet specified cut-off times will be disqualified from the event immediately.
5. The start of the event will be signaled by air horn or bell or other starting device. Countdown to the start will commence 5 minutes before the allocated time by the event starter. It is the responsibility of the swimmer to ensure their support  crew and craft is on time.
6. Swimmers may swim alone for the first 500 metres to their support craft where it is safe to do so. The shore break will vary in distance from the shore.
7. In the case of a shark sighting, paddlers and team swimmers must leave the water within a 5km radius of the sighting. Vessels are to remain in their location until the Race Director advises it is safe for swimmers and paddlers in that zone to re-enter the water and continue with the event without disqualification. Solo swimmers, you can remain in the water but do so at your own risk. If you leave the water, your swim will be regarded as abandoned / aborted in line with WOWSA rules and will not be recorded as an official solo crossing. If you choose to stay in the water, you and your support boat must remain stationary until the Race Director declares the zone clear and the race back underway.
8. Boat engines must be in neutral when picking up and taking a swimmer on board, and support boats must not back up to pick up a swimmer. The swimmer must be on the windward or weather side of the boat. An extra lookout must be positioned at the transom (back) of the boat if the boat driver is unsighted when picking up a swimmer.
9. Swimmers must enter Coogee Beach after going around the island along the southerly side of the beach.
10. Any protest regarding competitors’ conduct or race rules must be lodged in writing to the race director by 4:00pm on race day. A decision will be made by the committee in accordance to the Bondi to Coogee event rules, based on any evidence given and the judgment of the officials.
11. The event finishes 3 hours after the start of the race and all services will cease. All competitors who are in the water are required to leave the water, as officials will no longer provide swimmer safety support and assistance.

PADDLERS

1. Support paddlers are to assemble roughly 300 metres offshore five minutes prior to wave start.
2. Paddlers will delay entry to North Bondi beach based on not interfering with other swimmers, ocean swell and surf conditions OR they can wait for their swimmer at Ben Buckler Point.
3. Paddlers must not proceed beyond the 300-metre mark (icon vessel) without their swimmer.
4. Paddlers must carry a mobile phone in waterproof case for emergencies.

MANDATORY EQUIPMENT

1. A 5 litre dry bag is mandatory for dry clothes to be available to wear at the finish line if required or if the swimmer has to evacuate to the closest beach.
2. A mobile phone in a waterproof container. Required for  emergency response to receive messages for the start. Required if you need to have an emergency rescue. If the swimmer needs to evacuate to closest beach then the support crew must alert Race Director of their location. If the swimmer and support craft crew are not accounted for at the swim finish, then we will escalate a search and rescue.

CHECKPOINTS

• There are 3 mandatory checkpoints on the course:
• Checkpoint 1 is the start
• Checkpoint 4 is Shark Point. Your support crew call the swim number to the Race Director official boat to record your progress.
• Checkpoint 6 is the finish of the race.
• If you are not accounted for at either checkpoint 4 or 6 then we go into search and rescue mode. First thing we do is call your support crew mobile. No answer and Rescue services initiated.

SUPPORT VESSELS / SKIPPERS

1. On the event day, skippers must have a working VHF Radio tuned to channel 72 and also have a registered mobile phone number with Bondi to Coogee to allow officials to contact them during the event if required.
2. It is recommended support vessels be 3-12 metres in length, the support vessel needs to make allowances for a skipper, paddler, watercraft, spotter, support crew, swimmer/s. Vessels of 10m and over are advised to stay east of the main fleet. Tenders should be 3.1 metres or less in size with a motor not exceeding 5hp. Anything over that size is required to be registered. Tenders also need to carry necessary safety equipment, including a marine radio. It is the skipper’s responsibility to make themselves aware of the regulations and requirements related to travelling to Bondi and Coogee  Beach and mooring rules.
3. Support boats MUST NOT make way astern. This means they must not move backwards. To avoid danger (to a vessel, a swimmer, a paddler, etc.) a skipper is permitted to use astern (reverse) thrust – BUT ONLY TO STOP OR SLOW THE VESSEL’S FORWARD WAY. The vessel MUST NOT make way astern (i.e. move backwards) under any circumstances. If you need to stop or slow the vessel’s forward way, they must ensure it is safe to do so (i.e. no swimmer or paddler immediately behind the vessel).

• For solos swimmers, a support vessel may support four swimmers but must comply with the following rules:
• Swimmers need to swim in close proximity to each other and at a similar pace – proximity is no greater than 10 metres in distance.
• Each swimmer opts to either have its own paddler or not if they have a support boat. This is the swimmer’s decision.
• You must stay with the slowest swimmer, and swimmers must be aware this could affect their overall race time.
• If a swimmer is injured or needs assistance, both swimmers must stop. The other swimmer must stay and tread water until the boat is able to proceed or withdraw from the event due to the support boat requiring action to render the solo swimmer medical assistance.

1. Support vessels must display race number. All vessels are to be registered in accordance with Navigable Waters Regulations 1958 and carry all required equipment to make a successful journey  Bondi  Coogee
2. All boats need to be kept within 10 metres from their (slowest swimmer if supporting 2 or 3 or 4 solo swimmers). Boats withdrawing from the event must be at least 200 metres to the east of the race swimmers and main fleet before increasing speed past 8 knots.
3. Vessels with single propellers must be in neutral during the exchange of swimmers on and off the boat. Vessels with twin outboard motors must ensure their engines are switched off entirely during swimmer exchange.
4. Swimmers and escort craft shall give way to commercial shipping. This will be coordinated by the race officials and boat captains must follow the instructions or disqualification may result. Safety first.
5. The Bondi to Coogee Communications Base will advise support craft of commercial vessels expected to pass through the field. The NSW Maritime Services is the controlling authority for vessels travelling through the field.
6. If a commercial vessel crosses the racecourse, a race official may order the swimmers to stop and tread water or be picked up by Race Director or advised to head inshore to steer clear. The swimmer may re-enter the water when the danger has passed and continue the event. Swimmers will not be disqualified.
7. Support boats must assemble in clearly designed holding areas to the northeast of the swim off Ben Buckler. Support boat skippers will be notified just prior to their swimmer wave by VHF Channel (TBC) and will proceed to join up with swimmer at the 300-metre mark. Swimmers cannot be dropped off at the start line by their support boat. All vessels are required to log onto channel (TBC) and provide call sign details at the commencement of their event and log off channel 72 at the cessation of their event.
8. If a swimmer does not have a support craft for the swim, then they cannot do the swim, they will be disqualified.
9. If a support boat has not located its swimmer by the 500 metre of the beach, the boat skipper must advise Swim Base by marine radio (VHF CH72) and await further instructions.
10. No alcohol is to be consumed during the event by swimmers or support crew.
11. Support boats are not permitted within the final 300 metres.

DISQUALIFICATION RULES

A disqualified swimmer is no longer deemed to be a participant in the event and must leave the water immediately.

If any safety rules are breached, they may lead to immediate disqualification. You agree that if anyone (including you or your support team) who disobeys any rules, directions, instructions, decisions, or laws, or whose behaviour endangers safety or negatively affects a person, or property of any type or kind, then the swimmer maybe disqualified.

Intentional contact with another swimmer involving grabbing, pulling, scratching, hitting and swimming over another swimmer will result in immediate disqualification.

Any unsafe operation of a support craft or vessel by a paddler or skipper that compromises safety will result in immediate disqualification and the swimmer and paddler must leave the water.