Key Preparation Tips 

Preparing for event day

As well as doing the distance in the pool there are other elements to ensure your ocean swim is enjoyable and relaxed as possible. Here are some simple tips for leading up to and on event day.

You can treat this as a check list for your event preparation.

Leading up to event day:

Have you entered?

May sound like a silly question but the event can creep up on you quickly and before you know it late entry fee applies or entries have closed.  It is also great motivation to get to the pool and get training.

Want to check your entry confirmation?

All entrants should have received an e-ticket on confirmation of their entry. If you have not received an e-ticket you can check your entry under the event page that you have entered on the ocean swim website and then scroll down to ‘entry confirmation'.

Are you wearing a wetsuit?

A wetsuit can give you added buoyancy and warmth when swimming in the ocean. If you are going to wear a wetsuit and you don't own a wetsuit then you will need to hire or buy one. You can hire a wetsuit from the stockists on this page or purchase a new blueseventy wetsuit. It does make a difference on which suit you choose to wear in the event. A surfing or diving wetsuit is different to an ocean swimming wetsuit and may hinder your swim on event day due to a couple of factors. These are:

• Swimming specific wetsuits are made of thinner neoprene than surfing or general wetsuits and are built with added flexibility around the shoulders to make it easier to swim.
• There is often more room in a dive or surfing wetsuit than a swimming wetsuit. To ensure you don't take on water in the suit (which will slow you down and make you heavier in the water) your suit does need to quite tight when on.

Have you practised swimming in the ocean in your wetsuit?

Just like you wouldn't run a half marathon or marathon in brand new running shoes, you shouldn't swim in an ocean swim event in a wetsuit you have never worn before. It does take a little time to get used to the feeling of swimming in a wetsuit.

Practise as much as you can in the sea in your wetsuit, this will leave you feeling much more relaxed and prepared on event day. If hiring a suit, ask if you can hire for the week rather than just the weekend.

Have you swum in the ocean?

Swimming in the ocean is very different to swimming in a pool with lane ropes and a black line. There is no black line for start so you always have to keep an eye on where you are going and if you are still on course.

You have waves and tide to contend with at times. In a pool you can normally take a breath without too much worry of taking on water. having waves hit you in the face when you least expect it takes a little getting used to but the more you practise in the ocean the more confident you will become. You will get used to altering your stroke to minimise the effects of the chop.

We encourage you to practise swimming towards a landmark buoy or a moored boat, this will help you practise your navigation skills and staying on course, especially when you also have the tide to contend with.

Medical checks and preparation

As it states in our terms and conditions, you must not compete in this event unless you have trained appropriately and your physical condition has been verified by a medical practitioner and you confidently believe that you are sufficiently fit and healthy to compete in this event. There are Ocean Swim clinics operating before all of our ocean swims and training programs you can download from the oceanswim website. If you are looking for other people to train with we recommend reading (or writing a note on) our facebook page where or our swimmer forum at our website.

Is this your first ocean swim and are you swimming with a friend?

As with all events it is often more fun when you can train with a friend and then share the experience on event day. You can make sure you are both prepared together and even if you don't end up swimming together after the starting hooter has gone off, it will help you feel more prepared and relaxed. And it also gives you someone to share your swim with, discuss finish times, how you felt on the swim and what you would like to improve on next time.

Do you have good goggles?

This can make a huge difference to your swim. Because navigation and looking to see where you are going is so important in ocean swimming you will need a good pair of goggles that don't fog up.

To help with making sure your goggles don't fog up you can:

1. buy a new pair for your race (the sure fire way to know that you will see clearly the entire way)
2. use anti-fog but make sure you read the instructions clearly, you need to apply your anti fog before event day
3. smudge toothpaste in your goggle lenses, leave for a while and then rinse
4. spit in your goggles and let it sit for a while and then rinse

Have you looked at the swim course?

We can't stress enough - preparation is key. Knowing the event course is vital to a successful and enjoyable swim so make sure you have a good read at the event course on the ocean swim website.

What to have with you on event day.

Pack a small bag that can be left in the bag truck or bag drop off area if you don't have someone to look after your bag. Make sure it is distinctive enough so it is easy to find after the event. The last thing you will feel like doing is looking through 1000 bags that all look the same when you want to get out of your wetsuit.

All you will need to pack is a towel and some dry clothes to change into. Do not pack anything valuable in this pack. We do what we can to make sure your belongings stay safe but have no guarantees.

Have you worn a timing chip before?

Timing chips are given to you at the ‘swimmer pack collection' which is always before the swim. Your chip will be the same number as the bib number displayed on your e-ticket.

Chips are always worn on the ankle and we recommend if you are wearing a wetsuit that you tuck it just under the bottom of your wetsuit leg to avoid the chip coming off or being kicked off accidently by another swimmer.

Other things to know on event day

• There are fresh water showers at all events for you to rinse off the salt water under
• You will be given a Powerade at the finish line but if you need to eat immediately after the swim we recommend packing a banana or nut bar in your bag
• There will be food and drinks vendors at the finish area for you to buy a hot drink or food
• If your bag was transported to the finish by truck this will be available near the finish area. We do our best to get it as close as possible but often trucks are not permitted or can not enter the beach area so there may be a short walk
• Any information you need can be found at the information tent. This could be if you are checking to see if a participant has come out of the water, if you have an enquiry about timing or a general enquiry about the event. There is an information tent at all State NZ Ocean Swim Series events.