This week, The Daily News of Open Water Swimming will describe the slight differences between the start and finish rules of marathon swims around the world.

Today, we will look at the starts and finishes in Cape Town, South Africa.

For recognized swims around Cape Town, starts and finishes are dry land to dry land. If there is no access to dry land, a swimmer must get as close as possible to dry land without risking their life. If conditions do not allow the swimmer to touch dry land, the pilot’s discretion is exercised only if the swimmers may put their life at risk by attempting to reach dry land. Discretion is exercised if required. With disabled swimmers, rough seas or large ocean swells, the level of risk to the swimmer is considered. However, if finishing is an issue of physical fatigue or emotional obstacles, the swimmer is required to adhere to the standard rules.

Photo from the start of the Cadiz Freedom Swim, one of the world’s toughest, most extreme annual ocean swims – 7.5K across the Robben Island channel where swimmers face 13°C (55.4°F) waters, marine life and strong, unpredictable currents.

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