Rules & Regulation

The currents in the Öresund can be fickle, mischievous and strong at times. Therefore, a swimming speed of at least 3 km/h is required for solo swimmers. For relay swimmers, a swimming speed of 2.5 km/h is required.

Make sure you have at least one person who can travel with you during the given period. It is important that there is at least one support person on the boat during the crossing. If several crossings are swum in a row, there must be at least two support people on the boat. The support person must take care of the swimmer’s well-being, energy intake and other various needs.

The swimmer and other companions participating in the crossing must be able to communicate in Danish or English.

The application form must be sent and be in the hands of SwimÖresund no later than 31. april of the year in which you are swimming.

By registering, swimmers confirm that they agree that participation is entirely at their own risk and responsibility.

It is the responsibility of the individual swimmer and their companions to insure themselves against the risks that may arise during the crossing on board the boat and in the water.

SwimÖresund follows the international standards in marathon swimming. A medical certificate is therefore a requirement. The medical certificate must document that the swimmer is in good health and does not suffer from any kind of illness or other limitations that prevent the swimmer from completing the crossing. For safety reasons, the health certificate must be issued as closer to the swimming window as possible, however three month before at the earliest. The health certificate must be issued three month at the earliest and one month at the latest before your swimming window.

Please forward the health certificate to [email protected]

SwimÖresund follows the international standards in marathon swimming. A qualifying swim is therefore a requirement. Documentation for the qualifying swim must be made and submitted no earlier than 6 month before the crossing. Copies of Independent Observers logs and photographic evidence of water temperature should be included.

Completed at least one of the following verified and witnessed swims within 6 months prior their SwimÖresund attempt. Water temperature must be 16 C° (60.8 F°) or less.

Solo swimmers:
1-way 5 hour
2-way 10 hour
Multiple 15 hour

Relays:
A 2 hour swim

Please forward the documentation to [email protected]

It is important that you and your companions bring your passports with you on the swim. Everyone must be able to confirm their identity to both Danish and Swedish authorities, as controls on the water may occur. In addition, your identity must be able to be confirmed to SwimÖresund’s observer.

Both Denmark and Sweden each have their own laws and regulations. SwimÖresund assumes that swimmers who register agree that there may be orders from Danish or Swedish authorities respectively that may affect the crossing.

With the help of the World Open Water Swimming Association (WOWSA). SwimÖresund solo, tandem and relay swimming operate under the following approved rules, regulations, protocols, procedures, policies and definitions, as set forth in this document.

For a swim to be officially recognized. WOWSA and SwimÖresund Sanctioning require compliance with rules and regulations. The Swimming Committee will not ratify a swim if any rules are not followed.

Swims across the Strait of Öresund will not be recognised retrospectively.

SwimÖresund may not observe or recognize any marathon swimming of swimmers under the age of 18.

* Without neoprene
* Neoprene (wetsuit)

* Solo
* Tandem
* Relay

* One way
* Two-way
* Multiple

Standard swimwear and equipment

Swimwear made of tight-fitting porous textile material. The swimwear must therefore not be made of neoprene or have other buoyancy. Men are allowed to wear swimming trunks that do not go below the groin and above the waist. Women are allowed to wear a swimsuit that does not go beyond the groin and ends with shoulder straps.

A shower cap made of latex or silicone. Neoprene and bubble caps are not allowed.

Goggles and earplugs.

Swimming under the category neoprene (wetsuit)

In addition to approved standard swimwear, you can add a wetsuit with a maximum thickness of 5 mm. The wetsuit must not go beyond your ankles and wrists and must end at your shoulders.

Wetsuit swims are accepted as a form of assisted swimming.

Nota bene

Remember at least two illuminations for night swimming.

No floatation devices, propulsion aids, protective swimwear or full-length swimwear are allowed.

General rules

The SwimÖresund swim should be from coast to coast. Swimmers start and finish on land with no water behind. The soil must be part of a naturally occurring continuous part of the coast. Stopping at a pier or man-made pier is not permitted.

No physical contact with the swimmer may be made by any person, escort craft or other objects (fixed or floating).

It is allowed to train and give instructions from the swimmers representative.

Swimmers can be provided with fuel (food) and hydration (drink) by their crew or trainer from a follow-up boat. The fuel and hydration can be supplied via a feeding stick or water bottle on a rope.

Swimmers must be allowed to use skin lubrication or other such substances on the skin, provided that the substances do not serve to retain body heat. Lanolin, petroleum jelly, fat and other such substances are allowed. Check if the pilot accepts it.

A tempo swimmer is allowed, but swimmers cannot draft a tempo swimmer. A tempo swimmer is not allowed for the first two hours of swimming and then only every two hours. The tempo swimmer is allowed to wear a wetsuit.

Drafting behind a follow boat on a solo swim and relay is not allowed. Swimming close next to a follow boat is permitted as long as the safety of the swimmers is maintained.

The escort boat must attempt to maintain a constant position to station the swimmer at or in front of the hub of the escort boat.

Swimmers can swim any style: any type of front crawl, breaststroke, backstroke or butterfly. The swimming styles must comply with FINA’s rules.

On a two- or three-way or multiple crossing, the swimmer must completely clear the waterline at all stops. Swimmers can rest, sit or stand on land for up to 10 minutes while accepting fuel, hydration or skin lubrication from another person. It is not allowed to walk down the coastline.

Each leg counts as a single cross in identical crossings.

The first leg will be timed from takeoff to touching dry land. The second leg is timed immediately thereafter (i.e. the rest time between the legs is incorporated into the other leg).

The tandem must comply with the rules of single crossing.

The tandem must consist of a maximum of 2 swimmers.

A tandem swim involves two swimmers completing the entire marathon swim course together. Swimming tandem can be a good way to reduce individual costs for a swim.

Tandem swimmers are required to keep within 5 meters (side by side) of each other throughout the swim. If separation occurs, it is the responsibility of the faster swimmer to slow down to keep the pair together. If one swimmer withdraws during the swim, the second swimmer can continue.

The final time given to both tandem finishers is based on the slowest swimmer’s finishing time.

The relay must comply with the rules of single crossing.

The baton must have a team leader appointed. It is the responsibility of the team leader to keep his team fully informed and make sure that the medical forms are filled out.

The relay must consist of a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 4 swimmers.

SwimÖresund must recognize only men, only women and mixed categories. If a swimmer is in a wetsuit, it should be considered a neoprene swim.

Each swimmer must swim for one hour each time he/she enters the water. This duration is called a leg.

Upon receipt of a time signal, the switch to the new swimmer should be made as soon as practicable (within one minute) after the previous swimmer has completed his leg. In the exchange, the new swimmer can either touch the previous swimmer, or go into the water behind the swimmer and swim past him.

Team members must rotate in the same order throughout the swim.

Medley: The swimmers shall cover the four standard swimming strokes in the following order: butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and crawl.

Pace taking is prohibited in relay swimming.

Under no circumstances shall more than one team be allowed to make their attempts from the same pilot boat.

Paraswimmers must comply with the rules of single crossing.

Rules applicable with appropriate derogations from rules specifically targeted to meet the needs of persons with disabilities.

Disabled swimmers/amputees are allowed to wear socks or other covers over their stump.

Running swimmers are allowed. Specifically, physically and intellectually disabled athletes can receive assistance to get in and out of the water at the start and finish. This includes before and after a leg in a relay.

Tempo swimmers for disabled and blind swimmers can be in any position relative to the athlete.

Blind swimmers

Blind swimmers have 2 general exceptions to solo swimming performed by open-water swimmers with sight:

(a) they may be led by swimmers who allow them to tap their feet or other parts of their body for guidance;

(b) They may be escorted by crew of a follow-up boat blowing whistles for guidance (e.g. once for “go left” and twice for “go right”).

Swimmers may take any form of fuel, hydration, medication or sustenance during the swims as long as this does not include alcohol or drugs on Anti-Doping Denmark (ADD), Antidoping Sweden banned list or the World Anti-Drug Testing Agency (WADA) banned list.

Swimmers need to be aware that they may be requested to undertake a drug test at any time up until 24 hours after your swim.

SwimÖresund-sanctioned events respect the guidelines, recommendations and rules outlined by ADD, Antidoping Sweden and WADA unless there is a swimmer with a previously documented medical exception.

No alcoholic beverages, stimulants or drugs that are on the ADD, Antidoping Sweden or WADA shall be consumed by the swimmers during the swim or 12 hours before the swim start.

No alcoholic beverages or narcotic drugs shall be consumed by the observer, boat crew member, or anyone associated with the swim from dock to dock.

The official SwimÖresund observer is responsible for documenting the solo swims and relays and completing the observer report. The observer should attend the solo swimmer and relay members and document the activities in as much detail as possible. The observer is also responsible for assessing the rules.

The observer report for either solo and relay swimmers must be completed completely for verification. Ratification will be carried out by WOWSA and the SwimÖresund Committee. The committee may require additional evidence if they so require.

The necessary documentation includes, among other things, hourly observations of GPS coordinates, water temperature, air temperature, wind speed, stroke frequency (beats per minute), water conditions, feeding and hydration frequency and feed content.

The observations must also provide video or photo documentation throughout the swim.

The observer is responsible for the timing of the swim. The time of swimming should be from the moment a start is indicated (by voice, whistle or air horn) to the time when the swimmer clears the water on the opposite side.

If any situation arises which is not covered by the current SwimÖresund rules, the Channel Swimming Association (CSA) rules shall be referenced and followed. In all cases, SwimÖresund shall retain the right to interpret its rules relative to the swimmer’s actions.

If the observer is unavailable, the captain is authorized to perform the function of observer. The captain may also appoint a responsible person on the boat to perform the observer function.