When open water swimming races are cancelled, it is a major decision for the race director and safety officer(s) as well as the vendors, sponsors, and volunteers. Races can be cancelled or postponed due to marine life, winds, currents, tides, lightning, waves, pollution, or a host of other factors.

In World Open Water Swimming Association events, like most other organizations and associations, the decision to cancel a race is based on the potential conditions relative to the capabilities of the weakest and slowest swimmers rather than the conditions relative to the strongest or fastest swimmers.

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