Midmar Mile & SA Open Water Swimming Guide
Midmar Mile & SA Open Water Swimming Guide
Every confirmed date for the 2026/27 aQuellé Midmar Mile season, from seeding events to race weekend, plus what you need to know to enter the world's largest open water swim.
Last updated: 18 August 2026 💬 Discuss on the forum →About the Midmar Mile
The Midmar Mile takes its name from its original distance of one mile, about 1.6 kilometres, though the actual distance swum depends on the water level in Midmar Dam each year. In 2009, 13,755 swimmers finished the race and it was recognised by Guinness World Records as the largest open water swimming event on earth.
Midmar Mile 2027 dates
Across the 2026/27 season, six seeding events run from 7 November 2026 to 24 January 2027 at Prime View and Baynesfield, the aQuellé Midmar Mile Charity Challenge is 11 and 12 February 2027, and the 54th aQuellé Midmar Mile itself is 13 and 14 February 2027, all at Midmar Dam, Howick, in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands.
Seeding, batches and cap colours
Swimming a seeding event at Prime View or Baynesfield gets you a time before race weekend, but there is no published standard to beat. The organisers seed each race on both the fastest entry time into that event and the total number of swimmers entered in the same race, so batches are worked out across the whole field rather than against fixed time standards. Your batch can change from one event to the next, and a swimmer can be in a blue cap on the Saturday and a yellow cap on the Sunday.
Race weekend itself is made up of eight numbered races at Midmar Dam, Event 1 through Event 8. Four run on the Saturday: Event 1 for the biathlon and Ironman entrants, swimmers aged 71 and over and swimmers with disabilities, then Events 2, 3 and 4 for the family, company and non-company teams. Events 5 to 8, the individual age group races, run on the Sunday. Events 2 to 8 each start in five batches, three minutes apart, with a cap colour per batch, while Event 1 has a single starting batch.
Final seeding is only done about a week before race weekend. The organisers say a swimmer who has posted a seeding time is likely to end up in an orange, blue or yellow cap, but they will not commit to which one before that. In the four individual age group races, Events 5 to 8, only swimmers seeded into the first batch, the orange caps, are eligible for prizes.
There is one time you do have to beat on the day. At the halfway mark, 800 metres, the cut-off is 40 minutes in Event 1 and 32 minutes in each of Events 2 to 8. Wetsuits are allowed, with a catch: wearing one means you forfeit any position or prize in your age group or race category.
Junior swimmers and shorter distances
Race weekend at Midmar is a single distance event. The organisers state that every race over that weekend is the full mile, about 1.6 kilometres, and that no other distances are hosted at the dam that weekend. Younger swimmers are not mixed into the adult field, though. On the most recently published race weekend line-up, Event 5 on the Sunday was for girls aged 13 and under together with women aged 31 and over, and Event 6 for boys aged 13 and under with men aged 31 and over. The detailed 2027 line-up is not published yet, so treat the exact event numbers as last season's. Either way, the juniors still swim the full mile.
There is no published minimum age for the Midmar Mile itself. In practice the halfway cut-off is the real test, 800 metres inside 32 minutes in Events 2 to 8, which is a more useful yardstick for a young swimmer than the total distance.
The shorter swims are at the seeding events rather than at Midmar. All six seeding weekends, Prime View 1 and 2, the Prime View Festival, and Baynesfield 1, 2 and 3, run the same Sunday morning programme.
| Start | Distance | Who it is for | Seeding time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 09h00 | 1.2 km | Girls 13 and under, women 31 and over | Yes |
| 10h00 | 1.2 km | Boys 13 and under, men 31 and over | Yes |
| 11h00 | 1.2 km | Men and women aged 14 to 30 | Yes |
| 12h00 | 600 m fun swim | Male and female, all ages | No |
The longer seeding distances carry minimum ages for safety, set by Swimming South Africa rather than by the Midmar organisers: 12 years for the 3 km, and 14 years for both the 5 km and the 10 km. A younger swimmer who can safely handle the distance may still be considered, at the race director's discretion and by arrangement with the organisers before entering.
The Charity Challenge on 11 and 12 February 2027 is not a shorter option. Those swimmers cover 8 miles or 16 miles in aid of one of the official charities, entry is limited, and it is arranged through the charity coordinator rather than through normal entries.
Dates confirmed directly against the official event site. Event dates subject to change, always confirm with the organiser before travelling. This page is updated when the organiser publishes new season dates.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Midmar Mile in 2027?
The 54th aQuellé Midmar Mile takes place on 13 and 14 February 2027 at Midmar Dam, Howick, in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands.
Why do some events on this page show two dates?
The Midmar Mile weekend and its seeding events each run over two days, with different groups of swimmers racing on each day, so both dates are shown.
Is the Midmar Mile always exactly a mile?
Not always. The name comes from its original distance of one mile, about 1.6 kilometres. The actual distance swum depends on the water level in Midmar Dam, and in drought years the shoreline recedes so far that swimmers start with a run across mud before reaching deep water, known locally as the Midmar sprint start.
What are the seeding events for?
Prime View and Baynesfield host qualifying swims, called seeding events, in the months before February. They give swimmers a chance to post a seeding time, which is used to group entrants into starting waves for race day, and to get open water race experience beforehand.
Is there a qualifying time for the Midmar Mile?
There is no published time you have to beat to get a particular starting batch. The organisers seed each race on both the fastest entry time into that event and the total number of swimmers entered in the same race, so the batches are worked out across the whole field rather than against fixed time standards, and your batch can differ from one race to the next. Final seeding is only done about a week before race weekend. The organisers say a swimmer who has posted a seeding time is likely to be in an orange, blue or yellow cap, without committing to which one before then.
What do the cap colours mean at the Midmar Mile?
Midmar Mile race weekend is made up of eight numbered races. Events 1 to 4 run on the Saturday, covering the biathlon and Ironman entrants, swimmers aged 71 and over, swimmers with disabilities and the team races, and Events 5 to 8, the individual age group races, run on the Sunday. Events 2 to 8 each start in five batches, three minutes apart, and your cap colour tells you which starting pen to enter. Batch 1 is orange, batch 2 blue, batch 3 yellow, batch 4 green and batch 5 white. In the four individual age group races, Events 5 to 8, only swimmers seeded into the first batch, the orange caps, are eligible for prizes.
Can I wear a wetsuit at the Midmar Mile?
Yes, you may wear a wetsuit if you need one. The catch is that wearing it means you forfeit any position or prize within your age group or race category.
Is there a cut-off time at the Midmar Mile?
Yes, and it is measured at the halfway mark rather than the finish. Swimmers must reach the 800 metre mark within 40 minutes of the start in Event 1, and within 32 minutes in each of Events 2 to 8.
Is there a shorter Midmar Mile swim for children or beginners?
Not at Midmar itself. The organisers state that every race over Midmar Mile weekend is the full mile, about 1.6 kilometres, and that no other distances are hosted at the dam that weekend, though younger swimmers do get their own races on the Sunday, which on the most recently published line-up were Event 5 for girls aged 13 and under and Event 6 for boys aged 13 and under, with the detailed 2027 line-up not yet published. The shorter swims are at the seeding events instead. Every Prime View and Baynesfield seeding weekend runs a 1.2 kilometre race split by age and gender on the Sunday morning, followed by a 600 metre fun swim open to all ages. The 1.2 kilometre swim counts as an official Midmar seeding time, while the 600 metre fun swim does not.
How many people take part in the Midmar Mile?
The Midmar Mile is recognised by Guinness World Records as the largest open water swimming event on earth, after 13,755 swimmers finished the race in 2009. Thousands of swimmers, from Olympic medallists to first timers, still take part across the weekend.
What categories can I enter?
Entries are split across individual, company, school, club, family, relay, disabled and biathlon categories, so there is a way in whatever level you are swimming at.
How do I enter and what does it cost?
Entries open online at the official aQuellé Midmar Mile site, with early bird pricing available for a limited period before prices rise closer to race day. Check the current entry rate schedule on the official site, since pricing changes through the season.
Can I add these dates to my calendar?
Yes. Click the Add to calendar button near the filters and your browser downloads a standard calendar file, an .ics, that opens in Google Calendar, Apple Calendar or Outlook. It saves the events you are currently viewing, so if you filter by event type first, only those upcoming events are added. Each event is stored as an all day entry covering its full date range, so it shows correctly in your calendar wherever you are in the world. The file is a snapshot from the moment you download it, so if a date changes later, just click the button again to refresh your copy.
Are there other open water swims in South Africa?
Yes. Events such as the Freedom Swim from Robben Island to Blouberg and the Cape Long Distance Swimming Association's Cape Point swims have run in past years, though neither currently has a confirmed date for its next edition, unlike the Midmar Mile's multi year published calendar. South African swimmers also compete internationally, including at the World Aquatics Championships in Budapest from 26 June to 18 July 2027, though no SA team has been announced yet for that meet.