Rylock Summer Sea Swim Series 2024-25
Important Notice: Change of Swim Location on Thursday, January 16th to Tahunanui Beach
Due to a Regatta at the Yacht Club, the swim scheduled for Thursday, January 16th will now take place at Tahunanui Beach.
Please ensure you arrive at the new location in time for the usual start. We appreciate your understanding and look forward to seeing you there!
The Rylock Summer Swim Series kicks off on November 14, 2024, and takes place every Thursday evening at 6:00 PM until March 13, 2025. The swims are held from the Nelson Yacht Club ramp on Wakefield Quay in Nelson. Swimmers must check in before 5:45 PM on race night.
All competitors must register online no later than the night before their first swim. Online registration is straightforward and ensures you’re registered for any of the Thursday night swims. If you plan to participate in only one or a few swims, select ‘Pay at Event’ under Payment Options and bring cash on the night of your swim. Please note that we cannot guarantee on-the-night registrations! Priority will be given to those who have pre-registered. If the registration team cannot enter your details into the system before 5:45 PM, you won’t be able to swim that evening.
Thursday Night Schedule:
- 5:00 pm Check-in opens
- 5:45 pm Check-in closes sharply (no late entries or check-ins)
- 5:50 pm Race briefing (all swimmers must be out of the water, on the ramp, ready for the swim, and listening carefully to the briefing)
- 6:00 pm First wave starts, followed by each subsequent wave approximately 1 min. apart
Race Options & Wave Starts:
-
- Short course: orange caps
- Long course (3 separate waves)
- Wave 1: Strong swimmers (white caps)
- Wave 2: Confident swimmers (green caps)
- Wave 3: Recreational swimmers (red caps)
Each night will feature a short and a long course. The short course will generally range from 300m to 800m, while the long course will be 1000m to 1500m. Exact distances may vary depending on conditions. Where possible, the short course will extend to longer distances in the new year.
Less confident swimmers are encouraged to start at the rear of wave two or three. Kayakers will keep a close watch on these swimmers, who will also be monitored by a shore official at all times. Choose these options if you enjoy the company and security of the series environment but are not concerned about competition or times (though times will be recorded as a check to ensure all swimmers are accounted for).
Times will be adjusted to reflect the wave start, so you’ll receive your exact swim time. It’s important to verify your wave start during registration and ensure you have the correct coloured cap.
Payment Options
Select one:
- Pay Online Full Series (Non-Member): $135
- Select this option to pay online as a non-member.
- Pay Online Full Series (Club Member): $70
- Must be a Nelson Tri Member for the 2024-2025 race season. Select this option to pay online as a club member. You must be a registered member to receive the discount. To become a member, visit Nelson Tri Club Membership for the 2024-2025 season. You’ll need to confirm your membership by entering your club membership number.
- School Student U18 (Non-Member): $100
- Select this option to pay online for school students under 18 who are non-members.
- School Student U18 (Club Member): $60
- Must be a Nelson Tri Member for the 2024-2025 race season. Select this option to pay online as a school student U18 club member. You must be a registered member to receive the discount. To become a member, visit Nelson Tri Club Membership for the 2024-2025 season. You’ll need to confirm your membership by entering your club membership number.
- #Pay at Event (Single Swim):
- Bring cash on the night of your swim. Select this option if you plan to do a one-off swim or are a casual swimmer. Cash only on the night of each swim.
- Nelson Club Member: $15 + $5 for *swim cap (1st swim total $20)
- (Must be a Nelson Tri Club member for the 2024-2025 race season)
- Non-Member: $20 + $5 for *swim cap (1st swim total $25)
*Swim caps -All swimmers must wear the correct colour-coded series swim cap. If you don’t already have a series swim cap, you can purchase one for $5 and use it throughout the season.
Note: Our registration team will download the entry list before 8:30 am on the day of the race, therefore be sure to register before 8:30am on the day of the race to be listed on that night’s registration list. If you register after this time we may ask you to register again at the event as we won’t have your details. However, we will honour any payments made online, please bring proof ie email confirmation.
Given the nature of the event and the challenges of tide and wave conditions, it is important that all athletes feel comfortable and confident swimming 500m front crawl in open water, whilst making significant forward progress at all times. Adherence to this requirement will be at the sole discretion of the race director.
Note: Nelson Triathlon Club has a NO REFUND policy on club events.