General Race Rules (Aquathlon)

No entrants under 15 years of age are allowed to participate in the event.

Race management has the authority to modify any aspect of the race or to cancel the event for safety or other considerations. The full policy can be found here. Event cancellation information will be available on the event line (888) NYC-SWIM.

All fees are non-refundable. It is prohibited to sell, trade, or exchange your race number and/or for someone else to participate using your race number. Further information on substitutions and withdrawals can be found here.

It is the participants’ responsibility to be familiar with and comply with all race rules. Participants must follow the directions of race officials and public authority. Race officials have ultimate and final authority to remove participants who violate race rules.

Time Limits:

· There is a time limit of 1 hour to complete the swim segment.
· The run course officially closes 2 hours after the NYC Aquathlon starts.

It is the participants’ responsibility to be familiar with and to stay on the race course. Participants may not accept outside assistance or be accompanied on the swim or run by non-participants. Pacers are not allowed.

Race numbers, timing chips and registration materials will not be issued to participants without photo ID and a signed waiver. Check the run race number and other registration materials to ensure that race numbers match and that correct information regarding your name, age, and gender is listed. Notify race officials of any errors prior to the race.

You must wear the timing chip on its strap and secured to your ankle at all times. Only competitors wearing the chip will have split times and final times recorded. If you are not going to start the race, return the chip at registration. If you begin the race but do not complete it, return the chip to the timing officials at the finish line.

Participants must follow instruction of race officials and public authorities at all times.
Participants must obey all traffic laws.

Glass containers are not permitted on the race course or in the transition area.

Swim Rules (Aquathlon)

Swimmers must have completed and provide documentation of one of the following:

· any NYC Swim swim race;
· any timed open-water swim of 3/4 mile or more;
· a sprint triathlon with a timed open-water swim;
· a continuous 1 mile pool swim in 45 minutes or better.

Race management further reserves the right to accept or reject any race entry.

Additional information on swim qualifications can be found in the "Experience Requirement" section of the Aquathlon: Stars & Stripes overview page.

Swimmers may only enter water at designated points of entry and must wait until directed to enter by race officials. No pre-race warm-up swim is allowed.

Competitors must wear the official race swim cap.

Wetsuits are permitted but may affect a swimmer's eligibility for awards. The full wetsuit policy can be viewed here.

All swimmers are required to have their race number marked on their arms prior to entering the water. Those using long-sleeved wetsuits must have their race number marked on each hand.

Participants may use any form of swimming stroke for propulsion through the water. They may also float or tread water.

Participants are NOT allowed to use fins, paddles, gloves, kickboards, powered vessels, flotation devices or any other gear that provides an unfair advantage to the participant.

Participants are not allowed to use surfboards, kayaks, motorboats or any other water safety vessel for forward progress or for rest time.

Swimmers requiring emergency assistance should raise an arm overhead.

Race officials may remove anyone from the water whom they deem to be unsafe or incapable of completing the swim by the official cut-off.

You must notify a race official immediately if you do not complete the swim. Participants who do not complete the swim course are considered non-finishers and will not be allowed to start the run.

Only participants with race numbers and race officials are allowed in the transition area before, during, or after the event.

Participants’ gear must be positioned in their designated space inside the transition area. All items wrongly positioned will be removed from the transition area.

All non-racing equipment and gear, with the exception of the footwear that will be used to walk to the swim start, must be placed in the baggage check before it closes. Non-race gear is not allowed in the transition area.

Indecent exposure is not allowed and will result in disqualification.

Swim completion times will include transition time and will be taken as participants exit the transition area for the run.

Race Violations Resulting in 2-Minute Penalties (Aquathlon)

· Race gear not placed in assigned space in transition area.
· Race gear not placed in participants’ transition bag before the run and/or transition bag not deposited in drop zone by participant before beginning run segment of race.
· Accepting outside assistance.
· Pacing by non-participant.
· Interfering with the normal flow of traffic on the run course.
· Race number not visible on the front of the body at any point during the run.
· Running off designated course.

Race Violations Resulting in Disqualification (Aquathlon)

· Failure to follow the instructions of race officials or management.
· Unsportsmanlike conduct or abuse of any volunteer, race official, event staff, or any other participant.
· Failure to wear an official race swim cap throughout the swimming segment of the race.
· Use of a surfboard or other water safety vessel for forward progress or for extended periods of rest (more than 60 seconds).
· Use of glass containers anywhere on the race course or in the transition area.
· Leaving or discarding equipment on the race course.
· Use of any equipment that acts as an impediment to hearing, vision, or concentration during any portion of the race.
· Indecent exposure.

Race Cancellation Policy

All of NYC Swim's events require permits issued by the Coast Guard. These permits are issued subject to prevailing Homeland Security concerns and Maritime Security Levels in the area. If conditions change, the Coast Guard may require that we alter, reschedule or cancel an event.

Our paramount concern is the health and safety of our swimmers and volunteer kayakers. For this reason, we are sometimes forced to cancel races due to unsafe weather conditions or unsanitary water conditions.

After a prolonged or heavy rainfall, it may take several hours to several days before the rivers are again safe for swimmers, due to the trash, untreated storm runoff, and flotsam and jetsam that may flow into Manhattan's water ways. In addition, inclement weather may interfere with our ability to set up a race, forcing us to cancel the event even when the forecast calls for better conditions at the scheduled starting time.

The race director has full discretion to cancel a race at any time. In the event of an advance cancellation of an event by NYC Swim:

If the event has a scheduled back-up date:
NYC Swim will automatically transfer the registrations of all approved applicants to the back-up date.

If the event does not have a scheduled back-up date:
If the event cannot be rescheduled, all approved applicants will receive 50% off the entry fee for any NYC Swim race in the current or next season, with the exception of the Manhattan Island Marathon Swim, the Manhattan Island Relays, and the Ederle Swim.

If an event has to be canceled or halted while swimmers and race staff are on site, the above advance cancellation policies do not apply. If conditions continue to be unsuitable for allowing swimmers into the water or if the event does not have a scheduled back-up date, race souvenirs will be distributed to all swimmers and volunteers who are present.

Safety Policy

The race officials have authority to pull a swimmer from the water at any time for the swimmer’s own safety. Potentially dangerous conditions may include, without limitation, hypothermia, changes to weather or water conditions, or interference by shipping or other watercraft traffic. The race courses are patrolled by lifeguards and government safety officials, and each race includes a medical team. The race officials shall have full discretion to pull any swimmer from the water for safety reasons, and to determine when and if the swimmer may resume swimming.