1SOMS - 1st Sunday of Month Swim Information Portal swimquery@1soms.co.za

Welcome to the 1st Sunday of the Month Swim ("1SOMS") information portal...I hope your questions are answered and that you join the 1SOMS polar bears on their monthly outdoor excursions into the Open Water... Swimming should be fun and you should have a sense of accomplishment and wonder at the great outdoors.. The sea should always be respected and never taken for granted - it after all never tires and allows you to enjoy its splendour. 

1st Sunday of Month Swim (aka "1SOMS")

The Clifton Cold Water Mile has been a feature in Clifton as long as the Clifton Lifesavers have been around. This warrants a race separate from the 1^st Sunday Of Month Swim and will continue to be held annually on New Year's Day.. A great way to start the new year... These days its an 11 o’clock registration with a 12 o’clock briefing and start (not the early morning wake-up of yesteryear).

On Sunday,1^st January 2006 the 1^st Sunday of Month Swim has its humble beginnings with 5 swimmers participating. No prizes were on offer then but the camaraderie of the swimmers was to be admired. This same camaraderie is present today albeit that participation through summer months swells to over 100 and lucky draw prizes are becoming a feature.

A unique format called Hares and Hounds sees the fleet of chasers trying their utmost to catch the (slower) Hares who have a 5 minute head-start. Once caught the Hares are reluctant to be passed and find hidden reserves of speed making for closer finishes. Wetsuit competes against Wetsuit while Channel Rules compete within Channel Rules* - this results in a 4 way dual within the swim.

Average water temperatures are typically 14’C~10’C making this an Extreme Open Water timed event which attracts inquiry from overseas tourists planning to visit the Mother City.

With a distance of 1 mile it has started attracting triathletes seeking open water swim routes while Robben Island hopefuls use this route as part of their training regime.

For the newcomer to Open Water swimming this is the swim to do – the route has been designed to allow contest throughout the year (albeit that there is No Swim in May and June~August has the start time an hour later –that is 09h15 for 10h15 start). Sept~April has a registration time of 08h15~08h50 ; briefing 09h00 ; Start Hares 09h15 |Hounds 09h20 .

What to expect... Route Map displayed in front of admin desk; Newbees need to provide contact information, sign entry and receive unique race number. Race number is displayed on back of hand. Continue to have your picture taken; Previously raced ? Then sign-in on mass entry form. Race number is displayed on back of hand.Review the route map and pay special attention to identified hazards. The admin desk will close at 5 minutes to the hour. You will be called to attend race briefing on the hour. After race briefing you will have 10minutes to acclimatise. 2 minutes before the start you will be called under starters orders. Remember its a wet start. Hounds - make your way to the admin desk to ensure race number is recorded.

NEWSFLASH! Safety remains priority one..This is rated as a novice-intermediate swimmer course.

Rule 1: Silicon swim-cap is REQUIRED (hypothermia has been the most reported incident)

Rule 2: Swim-cap must be BRIGHT (i.e. Yellow,Orange,Pink) (headcounts can be conducted from the shore)

Rule 3: Attendance at race briefing is COMPULSORY (hazards are identified, rules and route explained. If you are  NOT comfortable after race briefing return to admin desk for FULL REFUND)

When you finish...remember to smile (you are on camera), collect finish tag and continue to admin desk to have your race number and finish tag recorded. Return to clap in the last finisher... Headcount reconciled...Lucky draw takes place. If you are not there you cannot win.

Always within 200~400m of the shore the route is behind the breakers and from a protected corner of 4^th beach to the open swell of 1^st beach AND BACK!

Sea u in the water

*Channel Rules: swim cap, goggles and swimming costume