The Great Fjord Swim

1. WHAT ARE THE WAVE TIMES FOR THE 2KM EVENT AND WHAT DO THEY MEAN?

The wave times for the 2km swim are as follows:

Wave 1: 11.40

Wave 2: 12.50

These are the times that the last bus leaves Killary Adventure Centre to bring competitors to the boat for the start line.

2. WHAT ARE THE LOCATIONS OF REGISTRATION, START LINE AND FINISH LINE FOR THE GREAT FJORD SWIM?

Registration takes place at Killary Adventure Centre.

The start line for the 2km and 750m races is from the water in Killary Fjord where competitors are dropped to by boat.

The finish line for both races is on the beach near the Killary Adventure Centre activity site.

The start and finish lines for the 3.9km race is on the beach near the Killary Adventure Centre activity site.

3. WHAT TYPE OF WETSUIT SHOULD I WEAR?

You should use a well-fitting specific wetsuit, such as those designed for triathlons.These are usually made from a flexible neoprene that allows you to swim normally whilst helping to insulate the body against the cold water.

The most important thing is that whatever wetsuit you decide to wear – surfing, shortie, specific swimming wetsuit – that it fits well.
It should be snug when you put it on, so the water is trapped next to your body to warm you up. It should not be loose fitting, so the water flows through it, as this will not warm you up and could restrict your swimming.

We recommend that you try the wetsuit out before event day, even if this is in the swimming pool.

4. WHY DO I NEED A TOW-FLOAT AND HOW CAN I GET ONE?

Tow-floats have been introduced as mandatory since the 2015 event for safety reasons. ALL competitors in ALL distances of The Great Fjord Swim must wear a tow-float. These are available to rent or purchase when you register on line for the event.

5. WHAT HAPPENS IF I CANNOT SWIM 2KM OR 3.9KM?

The Great Fjord Swim’s aim is to motivate people of all swimming abilities to get active and enjoy the experience of open-water swimming in a safe environment.
You should take time to train and prepare properly for the event. To help you do this, we have put together training plans.

You MUST be able to complete 2km confidently before taking part in the 2km event and 3.9km confidently before taking part in the 3.9km event. If you cannot do this then the 750m event is more suited for you this time and you can come back next year after further training and work your way up to the longer events!

However, if you get into difficulty during your swim, help will be at hand (full instructions of what to do will be given at the pre-event briefing).

6. WHAT IS THE AVERAGE WATER TEMPERATURE IN OCTOBER?

The average temperature is 12 degrees Celsius.

7. WHAT HAPPENS IF THE RACE IS CANCELLED DUE TO UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES?

Due to the nature of outdoor swimming, the Great Fjord Swim may be cancelled/postponed prior to or on the day of the event due to unforeseen circumstances such as bad weather.
If the event is postponed then your full entry fee will be refunded on request – this does not include travel or accommodation costs incurred.

Announcements of any cancellation/postponement in advance will be via email you have provided on the registration form, notice will also be posted on the Great Fjord Swim website and social media pages. Please ensure that there is a correct email address on your registration form.

8. AM I ALLOWED TO WEAR FINS, BOOTIES, NEOPRENE SOCKS AND GLOVES?

We do not allow fins but booties, neoprene socks and gloves can be worn.

9. ARE THERE CUT-OFF TIMES?

The cut-off time for the 750m swim will be approximately 45 minutes and the 2km swim approximately 80 minutes. For the 3.9km swim competitors must be able to reach halfway point (1950M) within 1 hour and finish within 2 hours. The decision will be made at the discretion of the safety crew and will depend on whether or not the swimmer is still progressing.

The Race Director’s decision is final.

10. DOES KILLARY GAELFORCE HAVE AN ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY?

Killary Gaelforce aim to promote and inspire responsible outdoor recreation. We work with our competitors to implement our strong environmental protection policy at each of our events. Read more about it.