WINTER RIP SWIM - JULY 18, 2026

(Back up date is the 19th and you must be available for that as well)

Taking on “The Rip” in winter is a significant challenge. It is a non-wetsuit swim and as such It offers experienced cold water swimmers a great challenge!

The water temperature is likely to be about 12 degrees Celsius and so swimmers will need to be acclimatised to the cold.

The winter swim is also of great historical significance. It honours the first crossing by the pioneer Doug Mew, in the winter of 1971. He swam the other way, from Point Lonsdale to Point Nepean, without a wetsuit!

Qualifying swim is the 10th of May. (see below)

STEP 1: Express your intention to swim - this is mandatory for all swimmers

Express your intention to swim

MORE ABOUT THE SWIM

Distance: 3.5km

Entry process: Enter individually (you must be able to swim 3km in 66 minutes.

Swim Format: Swim together as a team of 4, 5 or 6.

Cost: $700 (+$50 when you register your intention first)

Lead in: Make contact with other swimmers to form a team of 4, 5 or 6 of similar speed (you will be introduced to them by us).

Qualifying to swim: Sunday May 10. /9.30am, Williamstown

Everyone must do this. Swim 3km with your FULL TEAM of 4, 5 or 6 at Williamstown prior to the day. This date will be announced soon. (If you are interstate let us know and we can let you know how)

Speed: Your speed is an important factor. Your team must be able to swim 3km in under 66 minutes (or very close to that).

Time: Most swims take from 55 - 75 minutes

Escort kayaker: The price of an escort kayaker will be built into the fee.

Cancellation and refund policy:

If your swim day is cancelled, you will get a chance to swim the following day. You must make yourself available for both days. In most cases we will be able to let you know about a cancellation 24 hours prior to the swim.

If you are unable to complete the qualifying swim, we will refund you 70% of your entry fee. If you are sick or injured leading into the swim and can supply us with a medical certificate, we will refund you 50% of your entry fee up to a particular date that will be identified in the registration system.

Read more FAQ’s here

What you get:

  • The experience of a lifetime

  • An escort kayaker who has paddled teams across before

  • All boat transfers

  • A very experienced water-safety team to keep you safe

  • Quality merchandise only available to swimmers

  • Name on the honour board (only 98 people have ever swum so you can still make the top 100!)

Previous winter RIP SWIMs

The Winter Rip crossings:

  1. June 2nd, 2019

  2. July 3, 2021

  3. July 9, 2022

  4. August 5, 2023

  5. July 13, 2024

    WINTER RIP HONOURS BOARD

  1. Douglas Mew - June 13th, 1971 (69 minutes) Solo - The Pioneer of the swim

  2. Grant Siedle - June 13th, 2016 (59 minutes) Solo

  3. Peter Grose - June 2nd, 2019 (1 hour, 40 minutes)

  4. Sam Bryant - June 2nd, 2019 (1 hour, 40 minutes)

  5. Ria Bleathman - June 2nd, 2019 (1 hour, 45 minutes)

  6. Susan Berg - June 2nd, 2019 (2 hours)

  7. John Philpot - June 2nd, 2019 (2 hours)

  8. Cathy Snowdon - June 2nd, 2019 (2 hours)

  9. Matthew Annells - July 3, 2021 - 1 Hour, 6 minutes

  10. Simon Jones - July 3, 2021 - 1 Hour, 6 minutes

  11. Michael Urban - July 3, 2021 - 1 Hour, 6 minutes

  12. Tim Koopmans - July 3, 2021 - 1 Hour, 6 minutes (2 winter crossings, 2021 & 2024)

  13. Warrick Steabben - July 3, 2021 - 1 Hour, 51 minutes

  14. Torben Vedelsby - July 3, 2021 - 1 Hour, 51 minutes

  15. Matt Healy - July 3, 2021 - 1 Hour, 51 minutes

  16. Tyson Hofstee - July 3, 2021 - 1 Hour, 51 minutes

  17. Sam Lane - July 3, 2021 - 1 Hour, 51 minutes

  18. James Geer - July 3, 2021 - 1 Hour, 28 minutes

  19. Ross Pollard - July 3, 2021 - 1 Hour, 28 minutes

  20. Ross Quail - July 3, 2021 - 1 Hour, 28 minutes

  21. Simon Myers - July 3, 2021 - 1 Hour, 28 minutes

  22. Kendra Wright - July 3, 2021 - 1 Hour, 28 minutes

  23. Sam Goodwin-Dorning - July 3, 2021 - 1 Hour, 26 minutes

  24. Luke Richards - July 3, 2021 - 1 Hour, 26 minutes

  25. Gary Ullmann - July 3, 2021 - 1 Hour, 26 minutes

  26. Matthew Fisher - July 3, 2021 - 1 Hour, 26 minutes

  27. Charlie Evans - July 3, 2021 - 1 Hour, 26 minutes

  28. Nikole Ramsay - July 3, 2021 - 1 Hour, 36 minutes

  29. John (Jack!)Stewart - July 3, 2021 - 1 Hour, 36 minutes

  30. Kirsty Tweddle - July 3, 2021 - 1 Hour, 36 minutes

  31. Lloyd Gwilym - July 3, 2021 - 1 Hour, 36 minutes

  32. Shien Lo - July 3, 2021 - 2 Hours, 30 minutes

  33. Padraic Murphy - July 3, 2021 - 1 Hour, 35 minutes

  34. Olivia Wawryk - July 9, 2022 - 58 minutes

  35. John Harkness - July 9, 2022 - 58 minutes

  36. Stephen Marshall - July 9, 2022 - 58 minutes

  37. Murray Keeble - July 9, 2022 - 58 minutes

  38. Andrea Schloegl - July 9, 2022 - 57 minutes

  39. Heidi Tucker - July 9, 2022 - 57 minutes

  40. Andrew Fenn - July 9, 2022 - 71 minutes

  41. George Wintle - July 9, 2022 - 91 minutes

  42. Michael Cocksedge - July 9, 2022 - 71 minutes

  43. Alex Afshar - July 9, 2022 - 75 minutes

  44. Jeffrey Challis - July 9, 2022 - 69 minutes - 2 winter crossings! (2022,2023)

  45. Staeven Vallak - July 9, 2022 - 69 minutes - 2 winter crossings! (2022,2023)

  46. Laura Marshall - July 9, 2022 - 69 minutes

  47. Simon Ashford - - July 9, 2022 - 69 minutes

  48. Nicole Dean - August 5, 2023 (2 winter crossings, 2023 & 2024)

  49. Nicholas Robertson - August 5, 2023

  50. Jane Ireland - August 5, 2023

  51. Jack Stephens - August 5, 2023

  52. Daniel Millwood - August 5, 2023

  53. Andy Caddy - August 5, 2023

  54. Alan Fitzgerald - August 5, 2023

  55. Marianne Bradley - August 5, 2023 (2 winter crossings, 2023 & 2024)

  56. Jodi Helliwell - August 5, 2023

  57. Louise Day - August 5, 2023 (2 winter crossings, 2023 & 2024)

  58. Nigel Williams - August 5, 2023

  59. Esther Allen-Howard - August 5, 2023

  60. Veronica van Wyk - August 5, 2023 (2 winter crossings, 2023 & 2024)

  61. Wayne Helwig - August 5, 2023

  62. Georgia Lee - August 5, 2023

  63. Jordan Berry - August 5, 2023

  64. Atle Valland - August 5, 2023

  65. Steve Katsonis - August 5, 2023

  66. Kimberley Rea - August 5, 2023

  67. Conan Phillips - August 5, 2023

  68. Marco Guidici - August 5, 2023

  69. Matthijs Smith - July 13, 2024

  70. Brendan O'Donoghue - July 13, 2024

  71. Kyle Biller - July 13, 2024

  72. Alastair Tye - July 13, 2024

  73. Miranda Toohey - July 13, 2024

  74. Jack Parsons - July 13, 2024

  75. Golden Revolver - July 13, 2024

  76. Cory Phillips - July 13, 2024

  77. Sean McGrath - July 13, 2024

  78. Anton Stanitzki - July 13, 2024

  79. Zac Pearson - July 13,2024

  80. James Wagg - July 13, 2024

  81. Andrew Horwood - July 13, 2024

  82. Harry Bartram - July 13, 2024

  83. Nicholas Simpson - July 13, 2024

  84. Phil Hazel - July 13, 2024

  85. Matt Grogan - July 13, 2024

  86. Bernard Wilson - July 13, 2024

  87. Lisandra de Carvalho - July 13, 2024

  88. Wai Ying Tham - July 13, 2024

  89. Ashleigh Webb - July 13, 2024

  90. Dom McColl - July 13, 2024

  91. Colin Williams - July 13, 2024

  92. Geoffrey Thomas - July 13, 2024

  93. Ben Woollard - July 13, 2024

  94. Matthew Clare - July 13, 2024

  95. Joe Dreyfus - July 13, 2024

  96. Peter Batchelor - July 13, 2024

  97. Rod Watkins - July 13, 2024

  98. Marie-Andree Fournier - July 13, 2024

Pictured are Jack Stewart, Nikole Ramsay, Lloyd Gwilym, Kirsty Tweddle and their paddler Murray Joseph - they were successful on July 3, 2021.

35 excited swimmers prior to the winter swim. Photo courtesy Nikole Ramsay.

Photo courtesy of Tamara Hughes