Open Water Source - Open Water Relays - Open Water Source - The Global Home of Open Water Swimming

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Open Water Swimming Relays

There are all kinds of relay formats used in open water swimming:

1. Channel Relays
2. Competitive Relays
3. Charity Relays (including eco‐relays)
4. Stage Relays
5. Freestyle Relays
6. Masters Relays
7. Team Pursuit
8. Distance Relays

There are hundreds of established open water swimming relay competitions around the world. There are also hundreds of independent relays in oceans, seas, lakes and rivers attempted on every continent every year. This genre of open water swimming is exploding. Read on...

Relay Exchanges

Depending on the rules, relay exchanges can differ.

Some relays require hand-to-hand exchanges while others simply require the next swimmer to swim up behind the swimmer in the water to make the transition.

Relay Escort Boats

Relay members typically wait, rest and eat on an escort boat. Some eco-relay teams use outrigger canoes.

Relay Transitions

Some relays require the swimmers to touch each other during the transitions to officially signal the end of one leg and the beginning of another leg. Other relays require the swimmers to pass each other in the water - but not to touch: see the example of the Mexican American Unity Swim team in Lake Powell, Arizona below.