1.   The Garmin Birkirkara St Joseph Open Water Swimming Championships 2024 shall be organized by the Swimming Board of Birkirkara St. Joseph Sports Club, under the auspices of the Aquatic Sports Association of Malta.

2.   The Championships will consist of six races as shown hereunder:

The Club reserves the right to cancel events at its own discretion, even at short notice.

3.   The overall and age-group winners in the Male and Female categories will be those swimmers with the best accumulated times in five (including the 4K event) of the six races.  (*Regarding qualification for the Club organized Gozo-Malta and Malta-Gozo-Malta Open Water Swimming Competition, the OWS Championship race on the 14^th August will have an extended distance of 2 kilometres for the sake of those swimmers who will not be able to compete in the 4-kilometre OWS championship race.  However on the 14^th August the official time taken will be that for the 2-kilometre distance which will be valid for the championships’ general classification, and the 4-kilometre timing will be only valid for the channel swims qualification.)

4.   The overall winners in the Male and Female categories will be declared The Open Water Swimming Champions and will be presented with a prize and/or trophy each. The second and third placed in both categories will be presented with a commemorative trophy.  Trophies will also be presented to the respective Male and Female age-group winners.  Swimmers completing the six races of the Championships may be presented with a commemorative medal and a  certificate upon request.

5.   All swimmers must wear a swimming cap during the races which should be of a fluorescent colour and may be numbered by the organizers.  Dark coloured swimming caps are prohibited. Wetsuits can be used, however, swimmers using wetsuits will not be eligible to be included in the overall championships classification.

6.   Registered swimmers should be at the race venue not later than half an hour before the start of the race. Non-registered swimmers one hour before.  Registration may be withheld after the allotted time, to ensure punctuality in starting the races.

7.   The entry fee for each race is €15 per race or €75 for the five races.  Club caps will be available for sale at €5.00 (latex) and €8.00 (silicone).  Birkirkara St. Joseph S.C. members, upon presentation of their 2024 membership card, shall have their block entry fee reduced to €60.

8.    SAFETY: All efforts will be made by the Club to ensure the safety of the swimmers during these events.  Nonetheless, swimmers are being reminded that should at any time a swimmer feels unwell, s/he should immediately draw the attention of one of the marshals on the patrolling canoes or boat, or head for the shore immediately.  The organizers, at their own discretion, may postpone or cancel an event should rough sea or a jellyfish invasion prevail.

9.   A presentation ceremony for the top three males and the top three females will be held immediately after the race.  Qualified swimmers who will not be present for the presentation ceremony will forfeith their medal/trophy.

10.  Race Entry Applications and Fees should be made through the Club website bsj.mt

11.  The club reserves the right to announce the venues according to the prevailing circumstances 1 day prior to the events.  The organizers shall issue a notice on the Club’s website bsj.mt and the Facebook page.

12. Race results will be published in real time by the Club’s time-keeping contractors and on the Club’s Facebook page.

13.The only interpreters of these regulations are the members of the Club’s Swimming Board.