Swimmer information
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About Swim Serpentine
A one-day open water swimming event staged in the iconic setting of the Serpentine lake in Hyde Park, which was the venue for the Marathon Swimming competition at the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Swimmers will have the chance to take part in the following events:
When you sign up you’ll be able to choose a start wave on a first-come, first-served basis. Swimmers will set off at regular intervals during the day to ensure there’s plenty of space for everyone enjoy the experience.
| Wave colour | Distance | Start time |
| Green | Half Mile | 08:15 |
| Yellow |
One Mile | 08:45 |
| Pink | Super Six | 09:00 |
| Red | Two Mile | 09:20 |
| Light Blue | Two Mile | 10:20 |
| Purple | One Mile | 11:20 |
| Orange | Two Mile | 11:50 |
| Royal Blue | Two Mile | 12:50 |
| Red | One Mile | 13:50 |
| Green | Two Mile | 14:20 |
| Yellow | Two Mile | 15:20 |
| Purple | Two Mile FAST* | 16:25 |
*This wave is for swimmers who can complete the two-mile distance in sub 120 minutes.
Do you offer group entries?
No, we currently do not offer group entries into the event.
It's part of the London Classics!
If Swim Serpentine is your final qualifying event for the London Classics (after the TCS London Marathon and Ford RideLondon-Essex 100), visit the London Classics website to notify us in plenty of time before the event.
We'll then send you a wristband so we know to award you the amazing London Classics medal in addition to your Swim Serpentine one!
Can I meet my family and friends after I have finished my swim?
After swimmers have exited the water and passed through the check-out area, they will need to retrieve their bag and change – then they will be able to meet up with family and friends. Most of the Swim Serpentine event site is open to all, so meeting up with loved ones afterwards should be simple.
Wetsuits and tow-floats
Our partner, ZONE3, will provide you with a swim cap for Event Day. For your swim, you can either wear a full-length wetsuit or use a tow-float. You can rent a ZONE3 wetsuit for £30 by pre-ordering women's here and men's here. If you choose not to wear a wetsuit, you must use a tow-float for safety reasons. You can rent a ZONE3 tow-float for Event Day for £10 by pre-ordering here or bring your own. Please note, you need to pre-order by August 13.
Recycle your old wetsuit and receive a £50 voucher
ZONE3, Circular Flow, and London Marathon Events have joined forces to provide an amazing opportunity for you to recycle your old wetsuit and contribute to reducing landfill waste. Simply bring your worn-out suit to Swim Serpentine and drop it off at the Circular Flow recycle point located at the ZONE3 tent. As a thank you, you'll receive a £50 voucher to use at the event when making purchases over £200 with ZONE3.
Circular Flow is the only company in the world to offer an effective and sustainable solution to the problem of disposing of wetsuits and other neoprene products.
Founder, Georgi Marinov, dedicated years to creating wetsuits and neoprene products using more efficient and eco-friendly materials and finding a solution for their recycling. Circular flow recycles end-of-life wetsuits into granules or chips and then reprocesses them into new, recycled neoprene. The new products, such as yoga mats, bags, and flip-flops, can be recycled and reused between five and seven times.
Circular Flow also encourages customers to return their end-of-life neoprene for recycling and has established drop-off schemes with swim, surf, and dive brands. Additionally, the company uses only solar energy for each stage of the recycling process and recycles non-neoprene parts of old wetsuits. Through this closed-loop system, Circular Flow aims to reduce global carbon emissions and contribute to the global net-zero carbon goal.
Circular Flow is the only company in the world to offer an effective and sustainable solution to the problem of disposing of wetsuits and other neoprene products.
Founder, Georgi Marinov, dedicated years to creating wetsuits and neoprene products using more efficient and eco-friendly materials and finding a solution for their recycling. Circular flow recycles end-of-life wetsuits into granules or chips and then reprocesses them into new, recycled neoprene. The new products, such as yoga mats, bags, and flip-flops, can be recycled and reused between five and seven times.
Circular Flow also encourages customers to return their end-of-life neoprene for recycling and has established drop-off schemes with swim, surf, and dive brands. Additionally, the company uses only solar energy for each stage of the recycling process and recycles non-neoprene parts of old wetsuits. Through this closed-loop system, Circular Flow aims to reduce global carbon emissions and contribute to the global net-zero carbon goal.
Swimmers with disabilities
Our team supports participants with a range of disabilities at Swim Serpentine.
We've included a number of measures to help swimmers who require assistance to feel safe and confident at the event, including:
- a ramped entrance into and exit out of the Serpentine
- assistance with entering and exiting the water
- accessible toilets and changing facilities
Please note that you do not need to enter a specific wave at the event to receive support.
If you have any further questions about the disability support available at the event, or if you need any additional assistance, please get in touch with us by emailing disability@londonmarathonevents.co.uk.
Swimmer safety
The Swim Serpentine course will be clearly marked by large buoys and a water safety team will be on hand to assist any swimmers on the day if needed. All swimmers should be able to complete their chosen distance in full while training in a pool. Swimmers should also practise swimming in the open water before taking on the event.
Open water swimming differs from pool swimming as the water is both open to the elements and is not treated with chlorine. Rainwater, wildlife, warm weather or wildlife are among the many factors that can impact the water in outdoor swimming locations. We therefore carry out regular water quality tests in the Serpentine Lake in the lead-up to Swim Serpentine to ensure we have an accurate and up-to-date understanding of the condition of the water and can give our participants all the information they need.
Water temperature
The weather in the weeks leading up to the swim will determine the water temperature – so be prepared for anything here in the UK! For important information about water temperature and how it could affect your chosen swim, please look at the tables below.
| Water temperature | Course distance | Wetsuits | Max. time in water* |
| 15–29°C |
Half mile | Optional |
1 hr 10 mins |
|
15–29°C |
One mile | Optional | 1 hr 40 mins |
|
15–29°C |
Two mile | Optional | 2 hrs 50 mins |
|
15–29°C |
Super Six | Optional | 7 hrs** |
|
13.5–14.9°C |
Half mile | Optional | 1 hr |
|
13.5–14.9°C |
One mile | Optional |
1 hr 10 mins |
|
13.5–14.9°C |
Two mile | Optional | 1 hr 30 mins |
|
13.5–14.9°C |
Super Six | Optional | 6 hrs** |
Water temperature and reduced distance guidelines
The maximum times in water detailed in the table below are only applicable when the water temperature is below 13.5°C.
| Water temperature | Course distance | Wetsuits | Reduced distance |
Max. time in water* |
| 13.4°C and below |
Half mile | Optional |
N/A | 45 mins |
|
13.4°C and below |
One mile | Optional | One mile (800m option if swimming slower than 45 mins per mile pace) | 45 mins |
|
13.4°C and below |
Two mile | Optional | One mile (800m option if swimming slower than 45 mins per mile pace) | 45 mins |
|
13.4°C and below |
Super Six | Optional | Three miles (or 2 hrs 15 mins – whichever is reached first. This is 45 mins per mile pace, so swimmers must pass the second check-in in under 1 hr 30 mins**) |
* Maximum times in water have been determined based on guidance from our medical and water safety team, in line with governing body guidelines and medical evidence around swimming in water of 14°C and below. These times will be used by our on-site safety team to monitor swimmers still in the water and assess the welfare of any swimmer exceeding the maximum time in water. Swimmers may be permitted to continue swimming beyond the maximum time in water providing they are assessed fit to do so by our safety team. Any swimmers showing signs of hypothermia will be asked to exit the water for their own safety and wellbeing.
** Super Six swimmers will check in (while staying in the water) at the end of each lap. The water safety team will have the final say as to whether a swimmer can continue if they appear to be too cold or too tired, or if they are falling behind the maximum time limit.
Keep an eye on the Swim Serpentine Facebook page for the most up-to-date water temperature information in the build-up to the event.