Welcome to the 2009 Open Sea Programme. The 2009 Calendar is available opposite. More information will be added when available.

Organising Clubs
At the Open Sea committee's Safety meeting in May 2007 the Safety Guidelines were revised and agreed for the 2007 season with the help of the RNLI. [These notes remain here for 2009 pending any changes].

The RNLI guidelines cover planning and running a race, under what circumstances a race should be cancelled and provide sample forms for, Risk Assessment, Rescue, and an Emergency Action Plan.

The Open Sea Committee requires clubs to provide a designated Safety Officer for each race who will liaise with the Open Sea Safety Officer on the day. Clubs must also provide an Equipment Officer to ensure all equipment, - buoys, anchors, weights, radios are used and returned safely and in good order.

Under sixteen swimmers must have a parental consent form signed and present this to the safety officer on race day. Only one form per season is required.

It is also perhaps worth pointing out that whilst the committee and the race organisers take all possible safety measures into consideration, Open Water swimming is an extreme sport and swimmers compete at their own discretion and within the limits of their own ability. Any swimmer who does not like the conditions on any race day should not swim.

Open Sea Safety Guidelines
Click here to download/view a copy of the RNLI-approved Open Sea Safety Guidelines.

Safety Management Plan
Click here to download/view a sample Event Safety Management Plan.

Sea Swim Race Day Checklist
Click here to download/view the Sea Swim Race Day Checklist.

Under 16 Competitor's Parental Consent Form
Click here to download/view the Under 16 Competitor's Parental Consent Form.

We wish you all an enjoyable and successful season.