SWIM COURSE

The Gauntlet Howardian swim course is a 900m loop in the Great Lake (plus 100m from the loop to the swim exit). The Castle plays backdrop to the start of a thrilling swim first thing on the Sunday morning.

Race Director, Brian Adcock will record an online briefing prior to race day which will be shared on the Event Information page on our website. This short online video will detail course and safety details. If you are in a relay team, please ensure every member of your team has watched it.

If you are in a relay team, please ensure the whole team comes to the briefing. The swim course will take triathletes out in a straight line to the 150m point where they will turn left and swim alongside the lake bank until they reach the 450m buoy which is adjacent to the caravan park.

Swimmers will then double back, via a 10m separation buoy and head for a yellow marker buoy that will provide a gate at 850m to avoid the corner being cut. Swimmers will then head for another yellow buoy gate adjacent to the start line. Organisers reserve the right to change the course layout if local conditions require.

Swimmers then go back through the start to begin the 2nd of two laps. Swimmers follow the same route for the second lap apart from when they reach the final yellow gate buoy where they will head right, directly towards the swim exit. Swim buoys will be placed at the intervals shown on the map.

The swim cut-off will be 75 minutes. Safety is at the heart of the event

– we have safety boats and kayaks manned by fully trained life safety representatives out on the lake for your swim. If you feel that you are in trouble please roll on to your back and raise your arm and someone will be with you immediately. Resting on the boat or kayak at any time during the race is acceptable with no implication on your race timings.

Swimmers will be electronically counted into and out of the water for additional safety.