NEW ZEALAND OCEAN SWIM SERIES · SEASON OPENER
BEAN.
ROCK.
SATURDAY 12 DECEMBER 2026 · MISSION BAY, AUCKLAND
The Bean is back. One iconic lighthouse. A beach full of good energy. Your summer of swimming starts here.
See all five Ocean Swim destinations →
ONE GREAT DAY. YOUR CHOICE OF SWIM.
FIND YOUR BEAN.
First finish or fast finish — there is room for your kind of swim.
03
QUARTER BEAN
800 mBuild your confidence, find your rhythm and enjoy the finish.
ENTER QUARTER BEAN ↗
04
OCEANKIDS
100 & 200 mFree community swims for the next generation of ocean swimmers.
ENTER OCEANKIDS ↗Choose a distance to carry it into your Ocean Swim entry. Review your swims and swimmer details before secure Shopify Checkout.
FIVE DESTINATIONS · ONE UNFORGETTABLE SUMMER
SWIM NEW ZEALAND.
City beaches, island adventures and spectacular lakes. Make a weekend of it, bring your people and find your next great swim. There is a distance for every kind of swimmer.
0112 DECEMBER 2026 · MISSION BAY, AUCKLAND
Bean Rock
An Auckland summer classic. Swim towards the iconic lighthouse, with Rangitoto on the horizon and the beach waiting at the finish.
3.4km · Half Bean 1.7km · 800m
0230 JANUARY 2027 · RUSSELL, BAY OF ISLANDS
Roberton Island Hop
An island escape with a swim at its heart. Clear blue water, a beautiful coastline and an adventure worth travelling for.
4.4km · 2.2km · 1km · 500m
0327 FEBRUARY 2027 · BLUE LAKE, ROTORUA
Legend of the Lake
Trade the salt for fresh water and a forest-fringed lake. Make a day of the races, then discover the separate Swim the Night experience.
3.5km · 1.5km · 500m
0413 MARCH 2027 · WHANGAMATĀ, COROMANDEL
The Whanga Swim
A proper beach weekend. Race on Saturday, enjoy the coastal atmosphere and explore the separate Whenuakura Journey on Sunday 14 March.
3.8km · 2km · 500m
053–4 APRIL 2027 · WAIKATO
Lake Karāpiro Swim Fest
Your season finale, with a whole weekend to go further. Choose a series swim or set your sights on a Swim Fest endurance challenge.
3.5km · 2.5km · 1km · 500m | Swim Fest 5km · 10km · 25km
NEW ZEALAND OCEAN SWIM SERIES · 2026/27
20 years.
Bigger than ever.
Five incredible destinations. New medal designs. A whole summer of finish-line moments. Come for your swim. Stay for the feeling.
150%+
Multi-Pass entries are already up more than 150%. Be part of this summer’s swim story.
MEET GLYDE · OFFICIAL WETSUIT SPONSOR
COMFORT
IS SPEED.
The Kiwi wetsuit making waves.
From first ocean swims to the race-day regulars, swimmers are finding their GLYDE. Designed by your race director, Dan Feisst, with one simple ambition: help you feel comfortable, move freely and love being in the water.
“That feeling when a wetsuit doesn’t feel like a wetsuit... just get in and swim . Ridiculously comfortable.”
@cole1610 · swimmer feedback
NZ BORN. NZ OWNED. NZ INSPIRED.
YOUR SWIM. YOUR WAY.
HOW WILL YOU ENTER?
Two simple ways to join the Ocean Swim Series. Choose the one that works for you.
SLOWER-PACED · FOR THE EXPERIENCE
SwimXperiences.
TAKE YOUR TIME.
These are about enjoyment, discovery and making memories in the water, not a race against the clock. Relax, explore and enjoy the journey. No event placings, no series points — just a brilliant swim experience.
Night-swim atmosphere illustration
27 FEB 2027 · ROTORUA
SWIM THE NIGHT.
Experience the magic of an evening swim at Blue Lake, with time to enjoy the atmosphere.
EXPLORE THE EXPERIENCE →
14 MAR 2027 · WHANGAMATĀ
WHENUAKURA JOURNEY.
A relaxed guided journey, separate from Saturday’s Whangamatā races. Explore the island and its stories.
EXPLORE THE EXPERIENCE →OUR SISTER SWIM HOLIDAY BRAND · BETTER TOGETHER HOLIDAYS
EXPLORE SWIM HOLIDAYS →
SWIM THE PACIFIC. TAKE YOUR TIME.
Hosted holidays for swimmers, partners and friends. Warm water, unforgettable places and no race clock. Discover the 2027 Vanuatu and Tonga editions.
VANUATU · AUG 2027SANTOBlue holes & golden sands →Explore the holiday →
VANUATU · MULTI-ISLAND TOURTANNACave swims & volcanic adventure →Explore the holiday →
VANUATU · AUG–SEP 2027PORT VILAIsland swimming & lagoons →Explore the holiday →
TONGA · OCT 2027SWIM WITH GIANTSWhale & reef adventures →Explore the holiday →
Explore all packages, current details and bookings at Better Together Holidays ↗.
MAKE IT A SEASON TO REMEMBER
SWIM MORE.
SAVE MORE.
Entering two or more eligible Long or Mid swims? Build your Multi-Pass and make every event count.
EXPLORE MULTI-PASS →2026–27 · THE ROAD TO KARĀPIRO
OVERALL SERIES LEADERS.
Follow the front-runners as the season unfolds. Rankings update from verified Long Swim results after each event, with each swimmer’s best 3 point scores from 5 events counting towards the final standings.
5SEASON EVENTS
3BEST RESULTS COUNT
0 / 5EVENTS SCORED SO FAR
LONG SWIM SERIES · PROVISIONAL STANDINGS
THE LEADERBOARD
THE FIRST LEADERS ARE COMING.
Our 2026–27 leaderboard starts when verified results are added after Bean Rock on 12 December 2026. No placeholder swimmers or made-up scores — only official results.
EXPLORE THIS SEASON’S RACES| POS | SWIMMER | AGE GROUP | SWIMS | BEST 3 PTS |
|---|
Provisional leaderboard. Official age-group awards require at least three qualifying Long Swims; all rankings are subject to verification and the published series rules.
01 Bean Rock 12 DEC
02 Roberton Island Hop 30 JAN
03 Legend of the Lake 27 FEB
04 Whangamatā 13 MAR
05 Lake Karāpiro 3–4 APR
YOUR SWIM. YOUR STORY.
RESULTS. RANKINGS. LEGENDS.
NEWS, ADVICE & INSPIRATION
THE OCEAN JOURNAL.
Fresh stories, training ideas and everything happening around our swim community.
OCEAN JOURNAL · 16 Sep 2026
El Niño, sunshine and a little sideways swimming: what could summer bring?
More sunshine? Less rain? A breeze that turns your relaxing swim into an unexpected upper-body workout? With El Niño expec...
READ THE STORY →
OCEAN JOURNAL · 28 Aug 2024
The ‘How To’ For Your NZ Ocean Swim Series Event Entries
CREATING YOUR MY EVENT CREW ACCOUNT Creating a log-in for your Ocean Swim Series entries for the 2022/23 Season is a q...
READ THE STORY →
OCEAN JOURNAL · 16 May 2024
15 Swimming Technique Tips
We all know that swimming is all technique, so we asked the team at Future Dreams swimming to share their top 15 Swimming ...
READ THE STORY →
SWIM MATES · LOCAL PEOPLE. LOCAL GROUPS.
Find your people. Find your swim.
Meet a local swim crew, find a welcoming group and enjoy more time in the water together. Explore the map, check the local weather and UV, and make your next swim a shared one.
Check the group’s latest plans and suitability before joining. Group submissions start from your signed-in swimmer dashboard.
OCEAN JOURNAL · LISTEN IN
GOOD STORIES. NEXT SWIM ENERGY.
A little inspiration for your drive to the next Ocean Swim. Listen, share with your swim mates and make a plan together.
SwimScape
Join Duncan and Jim for open-water adventures, swimming stories and conversations from New Zealand and beyond.
LISTEN & DOWNLOAD
Swim Chats
Shona Riddell meets swimmers with stories to share — from everyday dips to bigger adventures and the people we meet along the way.
LISTEN & DOWNLOADChoose an episode in your podcast app to download for later. Independent podcasts; cover artwork belongs to the respective creators.
20 YEARS OF UNFORGETTABLE SWIMS
THIS IS WHAT
WE SWIM FOR.
From the first splash to that finish-line feeling. Real places, real swimmers, unforgettable adventures.
FIND YOUR NEXT SWIM →OCEAN SWIM TRAINING STUDIO · FREE
BUILD YOUR OWN
SWIM PROGRAM.
Your distance. Your ability. Your weeks. Personalise mesocycles and weekly microcycles, then print your full training plan.
OCEAN SWIM SHOP
GEAR UP. GET OUT THERE.
Explore GLYDE open-water wetsuits, swimwear and gear for your next event.
