D.1 Competitors, championship officials, oarsmen and life-savers shall assemble for the start of the race at the time and place indicated in the information sheet or, in the event of alteration, as announced at the briefing meeting, and shall follow all directions of the officials in charge.
D.2 Boat crews shall comply with all instructions for the championship and in particular the directions of the Safety Officer and Referee and they shall ensure that their boat is properly cleaned and in good order before it is handed over after the event. All kayaks and rowing boats used to accompany swimmers shall be fit for purpose. The final decision over the fitness of the craft will lie with the event’s Safety Officer or their nominated deputy. Inflatable kayaks will not be considered acceptable under any circumstances.
D.3 Each competitor shall provide a whistle and a flag “alpha” approximately 40cm by 30cm (16” x 12”) on a pole a least 1 metre long, or proportionate size for a canoe. This flag must be flown at all times by the escort boat or canoe while the competitor remains in the water but should be taken down in the event of the swimmer’s retirement. In the event of any emergency, or of assistance being required, long continuous blasts on the whistle must be given and the flag waved vigorously.
D.4 Unless otherwise specified, all Association Championships shall be freestyle championships.
D.5 Where a breaststroke event is held as part of an Association Championships all competitors must declare their nominated stroke on the entry form and no subsequent change will be allowed. Breaststroke swimmers must wear a pink cap: freestyle swimmers may wear any other colour except white or pink.
D.6 To start the race audible and visible signals shall be given simultaneously.
D.7 Competitors shall not receive support from any floating or fixed object.
D.8 Competitors shall not use any aids to swimming other than one sleeveless and legless costume, one cap and goggles. Sleeveless shall mean the costume must not extend beyond the end of the shoulder onto the upper arm and legless shall mean the costume must not extend lower than the crotch onto the upper leg. No neoprene or other insulating/buoyancy enhancing material may be used for any purpose, including caps.
No costume may extend outside the highlighted area detailed in the picture above.
D.9 Where wet-suits are allowed there will be two distinct race categories one for swimmers wearing costumes as defined in D.8 and one for those wearing wet-suits.
D.10 Competitors shall not consume, or so recently have consumed as to be still under the influence of, alcohol or stimulants. The use of banned drugs (as defined by the International Olympic Committee’s Medical Commission) is prohibited. The Association reserves the right to arrange the screening of random urine samples for the detection of banned drugs. Failure or refusal to provide a sample will result in disqualification. Copies of the Medical Commission’s list of banned drugs will be held by each Swim Secretary, from whom advice may be obtained.
D.11 Competitors shall be allowed to stand for the purpose of resting or to consume food and drink provided rules D.7 and D.10 are complied with. No steps may be taken.
D.12 Competitors shall not be accompanied by any other swimmer in the water for the purpose of pace making.
D.13 Competitors shall not use MP3 players or similar audio equipment during a swim. The use of heart monitors can only be used for medical reasons and only after the association has received a medical note from the swimmers doctor.
D.14 A swimmer shall at all times swim so that he/she keeps clear of (does not impede) any swimmer. Making contact, except purely accidentally, or swimming within 1 metre proximity, so that a swimmers stroke, direction or course of action, is likely to be adversely affected and shall be deemed to be unsporting impedance.
D.15 A Championship Referee shall order from the water any swimmer who has contravened any rule or whose condition is, in his opinion, unsatisfactory.
D.16 All Championships shall have a time limit. That limit shall be specified in the information sheet and at the briefing meeting for the event.
D.17 At the end of the time limit, the championship facilities shall be withdrawn. Any swimmer not leaving the water at that time will be deemed to be making an individual attempt on the course. This individual attempt may be recognised by the Association provided that the Rules for Recognition of Individual Swims have been observed. The Association accepts no responsibility for swimmers or boat crews continuing in this way and if the boat owner presents additional account for any boat so delayed this must be met by the swimmer.
D.18 In the event of deteriorating conditions, the Championship Referee shall have the authority (which he/she may delegate) to vary the course or to order any swimmer or swimmers from the water and/or declare the race terminated. In such circumstances the allocation of awards shall be determined by the Championship Committee.
D.19 Any competitor retiring from the championship must inform the delegated officials who will be located at the points detailed at the swim briefing of their retirement. They must provide a summary of their condition, their location and their planned destination. Any costs associated with the failure to report and any subsequent search for them will be charged to the competitor.
D.20 Each competitor shall have his or her race number, as given to them at the registration, marked on both shoulders. In addition support crews shall carry theirs swimmers number marked on their hand.
D.21 Where a swimmer is in the water during hours of darkness, they should be illuminated by two LED lights, one on the costume and one on the cap. In addition, their accompanying craft should be lit on all 4 sides with at least one LED light. These lights should be switched on at least one hour before sunset and not switched off until at least one hour after sunrise. Failure to display these lights at the necessary times shall be considered grounds for disqualification from the race.
D.22 For swims which require a kayak escort, the usual ratio will be one kayak and one paddler to one swimmer. Kayaks in excess of this will not be permitted except where agreed in advance by the Swim Secretary for the purposes of training a kayaker or providing special assistance to a swimmer with a disability. In any case no more than one excess kayaker may accompany a swimmer.