CAPITAL CLASSIC
WELLINGTON – SUN 26 JANUARY 2014
NEWSFLASH: We have the confirmed date for the State Capital Classic event – so you can get planning for next season! Note that only the event date and key timings have been updated so far. All other event information and timings will be updated ready for entries to go live in July.
They say you can’t beat Wellington on a good day and this stood very true last season where we had cracking conditions for the State Capital Classic, resulting in very happy competitors across all four swim distances.
This season sees the State Capital Classic kicking off bright and early at 8.30am on Sunday 26 January 2014 with the ‘I’m Going Long’ swim from Frank Kitts Park, around the iconic Pt Jerningham Lighthouse to Freyberg Beach in Oriental Bay. Then the ‘Step it Up 1000m’, ‘Give it a Go 300m’ and inspirational State OceanKids take to the water in their respective swims from Oriental Bay Beach to Freyberg Beach.
Get all your friends and family to come and support you during your swim, with some of the best spectator vantage points around the Harbour and hugging the Oriental Bay Beaches. As with all the other six State New Zealand Ocean Swim Series events, New Zealand’s Surf Lifesavers will be out in force keeping a watchful eye on the swimmers as you take on your personal challenges and enjoy swimming in the Capital’s Harbour. See you there!
Race Start Times
The State Capital Classic event provides an ocean swim event for all ages and abilities.
- The ‘I’m Going Long’ 3.3km Ocean Swim starts at 8.30am in Frank Kitts Park and finishes at Freyberg Beach. The compulsory safety briefing is at 8.10am at Frank Kitts Park. This swim is for individuals with swimming experience who have trained to complete this event.
- The ‘Step It Up’ 1000m Ocean Swim, starting at Oriental Bay Beach at 10.35am and finishing at Freyberg Beach, is an achievable distance for individuals with swimming experience, who could be training for the ‘I’m Going Long’ swim at one of the other events. The compulsory safety briefing starts at 10.30am at Oriental Bay Beach.
- The ‘Give It A Go’ 300m Ocean Swim, starting at Oriental Bay Beach at 11.15am and finishing at Freyberg Beach, is a great introduction to open water swimming. The compulsory safety briefing starts at 11.10am at Oriental Bay Beach.
- The State OceanKids, kicking off at 11.20am at Oriental Bay Beach, is for children aged between 6-10 years old and consists of a fun 30 minute safety activity session followed by a 200m shallow water swim from Oriental Bay Beach to Freyberg Beach, lined with Surf Life Saving NZ guards – read more.
I’m Going Long – 3.3kmStep It Up – 1000mGive It A Go – 300mState Ocean Kids – 200m |
View Larger Map |
Registration Details
The pre-event registration / race pack pick up event details will be listed on here when entries go live in July.
All entrants will receive:
- A timing chip which is loaned to you for the event
- A swim cap that you must wear for the duration of the event
- A swim-related gift from our principal sponsor State insurance
- A personalised certificate that you can download and print at no charge from the results page
- Other sponsor goodies
- State bag transfer service for ‘I’m Going Long’ competitors
- State bag tent at main event site for competitors
Race Pack Courier:
We now offer a pre-paid courier service that will courier your race pack including your swim cap and timing chip to you the week leading up to the event. In the interest in keeping your costs down, couriers are now split into two zones at different prices. Please check here for more information about couriers and to see which zone and price your courier will be. Race Pack courier orders for the State Capital Classic close at 5pm Wednesday 15 January 2014, so please purchase couriers before this date if you would like your race pack sent through to you.
You can book and pay for this courier service when entering online or purchase from the ocean swim store.
Important dates:
5:00PM – Saturday 30 November 2013 – Online Early-bird pricing finishes
5.00PM - Wednesday 15 January 2014 - Race Pack courier orders close
11:59PM - Saturday 18 January 2014 – $5 late entry fee applies
11.59PM – Friday 24 January 2014 – Online registrations close
ALL DAY – Sunday 26 January 2014 – $10 event day late entry fee applies
Bag Transfer Service and Bag Tent
State provide a Free Bag Transport service for ‘I’m Going Long’ competitors from the Frank Kitts Park start line to the Freyberg Beach finish line. Bags will be left in the State Bag Tent at the Freyberg Beach event site for competitors. This tent is also available for other swim competitors. This is on an all care and no responsibility basis.
Prize Giving
The State Capital Classic prize giving will take place at 12.00pm on Sunday 26 January 2014 at the event site on Freyberg Beach. Overall and Age Group winners and place-getters will be awarded medals and awesome spot prizes will be handed out to those present.
Cut off times
The cut off times for the State Capital Classic are:
- ‘I’m Going Long’ 3.3km – 2 hours from your wave/group start
- ‘Step It Up’ 1000m – 40 minutes from your group start
- ‘Give It Go’ 300m – 13 minutes
Contingency Plan
In the event of weather that prevents the State Capital Classic “I’m Going Long’ swim from being able to go all the way out to Pt Jerningham safely, the swim will be changed to a shortened 2km contingency course starting at the same normal start location off Frank Kitts Lagoon, turning right at a 960m cut off buoy and heading into Freyberg Beach, around the fountain (see below map). This course suits days when the Capital is hit by a blustery nor-westerly wind. All swimmers will be briefed at the same Upper Frank Kitts Park location, almost one hour later at 9.00am. The swim will start at 9.20am. Swimmers will be advised prior by email, text message, on the State NZ Ocean Swim Series Facebook page and website. If conditions change significantly on event day morning, a text message will be sent out to all swimmers.
Accommodation
Check out the Millennium Hotels’ page for great accommodation deals at the Copthorne Hotel Wellington Oriental Bay – especially for State New Zealand Ocean Swimmers, friends and families. Get in quick though as rooms are limited.
Safe Swimming Tip from Water Safety NZ
Tell someone where you’re going and when you’ll be back.
Inspirational Story
“I’ve been a competitive pool swimmer since I was 6 and so I’ve been training at least 2 or 3 times a week for 50 years now! When I moved here from the UK in 2003 I’d never done an open water race before -nobody in their right mind swims for fun in the sea” John Shackleton
Read more inspirational swimming stories
Proudly supported by:
The State Capital Classic is proudly supported by Wellington City Council. See their website www.wellington.govt.nz for details of whats on in Wellington over the event weekend. 
