Williamstown Open Water Swim WOW 2026
The Williamstown Open Water Swim, also known as "WOW", is scheduled for Sunday, March 1, 2026, at the iconic Williamstown Beach, Victoria, Australia. This event is open to swimmers of all ages and abilities, from champions to weekend warriors, kids, fast, slow, young, and old.
Event Details:
- 1.2km Swim: Starts from 8:30 am. Order: Male, Female, Junior; Mass starts.
- 2.5km Swim: Starts from 10:00 am. Mixed Gender, all age groups; Rolling starts. This course features a beach start, swimming in an anti-clockwise direction around the Rock Groyne and over The Crystal Pool, with a turn near the boat harbour and heading onto the WOW Back Straight before returning to the beach.
- 5km Swim: Starts from 9:00 am. Mixed Gender, all age groups; Rolling starts. This course consists of 2 laps of the 2.5km course.
Note: Weather conditions may necessitate a reversal of the course direction to a clockwise direction to ensure swimmers have the wind behind them on the back straight.
Early Bird Offer: Register before midnight on Sunday, February 1, 2026, to receive a complimentary T-shirt.
Wetsuits: All swimmers may choose to wear a wetsuit. No additional buoyancy aids such as pull buoys, hand paddles, or fins are permitted.
Organizer: The event is conducted by the historic Williamstown Swimming and Life Saving Club.
Fundraising: The WOW is a Great Victorian Swim Series event that has proudly raised funds for not-for-profit organisations each year.
Suspension & Cancellation Policy: Detailed policies are in place regarding weather conditions, surf conditions, water quality, and other potential risks. Decisions are made by the Williamstown Open Water Competition Committee (WOWCC) and Race Director.
