1) Purpose
This document sets out:

• the rules for taking part in the Serre-Ponçon Swim Challenge;
• the safety measures and obligations of participants (swimmers) and accompanying persons (kayakers);
• the conditions for registration, payment and cancellation.

Any registration implies unconditional acceptance of these rules.

2) Organisation – Contact details – Dates – Authorisations

Organiser: Association Serre Ponçon Swim Challenge, 26 Rue de La Carrière, Association no.: W052008640 SIREN: 994146496

Email: swimserreponcon@gmail.com  Telephone: +33 6 77 36 29 42 / +33 6 66 59 77 43

Events:

• Relay: Friday 3 July 2026
• Solo 12 km & 20 km: Saturday 4 July 2026

Prefectural authorisation: the event, its route and its organisation are subject to administrative authorisations. The final route remains subject to final prefectural approval.

3) Event formats

• Relay (Friday 3 July 2026): relay crossing in teams (detailed format communicated in the participant guide).
• Solo 12 km (Saturday 4 July 2026): individual crossing, finish at the 12 km finish point.
• Solo 20 km (Saturday 4 July 2026): long-distance individual crossing (enhanced support requirements – see §7.3).

4) Conditions of participation – Medical fitness (swimmers)

Taking part in a long-distance open-water event requires a good level of physical fitness. Each swimmer must provide, when registering, the following:

• A medical certificate stating no contraindication to competitive swimming / open-water swimming.
• Swimmers must also confirm a minimum speed of 2 km/h, to ensure safety and compliance with time limits.

5) Safety – General principles
Safety is at the heart of the Serre-Ponçon Swim Challenge. All activities are organised in accordance with the official open-water safety plan, in coordination with the relevant authorities, and under the conditions set by the prefectural authorisation.

Safety measures (all events):

• Continuous supervision by motorised rescue boats, including at least one boat equipped with a defibrillator, oxygen and first-aid equipment.
• Real-time coordination between boats, kayaks and race HQ via a radio-telephone network.
• Dedicated land-based logistics teams at key points along the route.

6) Swimmer obligations & equipment

6.1 Mandatory lighting

For the start and the first part of the event (approximately the first hour), which takes place at night / in low light, each swimmer must wear a light attached to their swim cap (usually green) to be visible and to aid navigation and safety.

Recommendation: it is strongly recommended to bring spare lights (or a back-up light/attachment), as these devices may stop working during the crossing.

6.2 Wetsuit
The choice to swim with or without a wetsuit, and the type of wetsuit, is up to the participant.
However, if the water temperature is below 16°C, wearing a thermal wetsuit becomes mandatory, based on the measurement taken and communicated by the organiser.

6.3 Permitted swim equipment
Fins, mask, snorkel and other swimming aids/devices are permitted at this event.
The organiser nevertheless reserves the right to prohibit any equipment deemed dangerous to the participant or others, particularly in specific conditions.

6.4 Nutrition (solo swimmers)
Swimmers must bring their own drinks and nutrition (energy drinks, gels, snacks, etc.) in clearly labelled containers, for management by their kayaker during the crossing.

7) Support & obligations for kayakers
7.1 Relay (Friday 3 July 2026) – Support included
Each team benefits from a dedicated safety boat provided by the organiser. On board: a qualified lifeguard (BNSSA or equivalent) and a coach dedicated to the team. No personal support person is required: this support is included in the package. The boat follows the swimmers throughout the crossing and provides safety, navigation and immediate intervention if needed.

7.2 Solo 12 km & 20 km (Saturday 4 July 2026) – Support required
Each solo swimmer must be accompanied throughout the crossing by their own kayaker, unless the support is included in their package.
If your package includes a kayaker, an experienced escort will be assigned to you. Otherwise, you must come with a competent person able to paddle comfortably for the full route.

The organiser provides (per solo swimmer):

• a kayak, paddle and buoyancy aid for the kayaker;
• kayaker safety equipment (radio-telephone, whistle);
• a Restube buoy for each swimmer.

The kayaker is responsible for:

• feeding and hydrating the swimmer at regular intervals (recommendation: every 30 to 45 minutes);
• monitoring the swimmer’s physical condition and reporting any difficulty to the safety boats;
• maintaining a stable line and staying close to the swimmer.

7.3 20 km specific requirement: two kayakers
For safety and comfort, the 20 km distance requires two kayakers, alternating at mid-course (relay point communicated by the organiser – e.g. Baie St Michel / planned area). This alternation ensures continuous coverage and allows kayakers to rest/refuel.
Note: precise relay locations and check points may be adjusted and will be confirmed with the final route.

7.4 Mandatory equipment (kayakers)
Each kayaker must have a head torch for the low-light period at the start, to navigate and remain visible.

7.5 Competency conditions – Attestation
To guarantee everyone’s safety, kayakers must:

• be competent, self-sufficient paddlers capable of maintaining a steady pace for around 6 hours (10/12 km) to 10 hours (20 km) on open water;
• be able to communicate clearly and calmly with the swimmer and safety teams via radio-telephone;
• be comfortable in variable weather/water conditions;
• have basic first-aid knowledge (recommended, not mandatory).
  A signed attestation confirming the competence of the kayaker(s) will be requested at registration.

8) Mandatory briefing
A mandatory briefing will take place on Friday 3 July 2026 for all swimmers and kayakers. It will cover in particular:

• safety and communication rules;
• signs of fatigue, hypothermia, visible issues and other symptoms to monitor;
• feeding and relay procedures;
• detailed presentation of the route, marking and safety zones.
  Failure to attend the briefing may result in refusal to start.

9) Cut-off times – Minimum speed – Exiting the water
Minimum speed required: 2 km/h.
Cut-off times and checkpoints will be put in place (e.g. Pont de Savines, km 12 – Baie Saint-Michel, and km 15 depending on the event). Any swimmer who does not reach a checkpoint within the allotted time may be:

• stopped by decision of the organiser for safety reasons;
• taken on board by the sweeper boat and brought back to shore.
  The aim is to maintain a maximum gap of about 5 km between the first and last swimmer, and to ensure continuous supervision.

10) Lake rules – Navigation – Near-shore zone
The event takes place in accordance with the navigation rules in force on Lake Serre-Ponçon and the exemption rules set by the prefectural authorisation. A link to the full lake regulations will be communicated to participants and accompanying persons.
Swimmers must remain at all times within the near-shore zone, marked in places by yellow buoys. In this zone, boats are limited to a maximum of 5 km/h.

11) Compliance with instructions – Exclusion
Any dangerous behaviour, failure to follow safety instructions, refusal to comply with decisions by safety teams, or failure to follow lake rules may lead to:

• immediate disqualification;
• refusal to start or termination of participation;
  with no refund.

12) Insurance – Liability
Participants are responsible for checking they have insurance suitable for a long-distance open-water event (third-party liability + assistance/repatriation + cancellation). The organiser puts in place the planned safety measures, but each participant acknowledges that open-water swimming involves risks (weather, cold, fatigue, cramps, etc.) and undertakes to follow the rules.

13) Registration – Payment
Registration is confirmed upon receipt of payment and the required documents (medical certificate/questionnaire, kayaker attestation, etc.). Payment terms (amount, instalments, payment method) are shown on the registration page.

14) Cancellation – Postponement – Force majeure
14.1 Event subject to authorisation
The event is subject to prefectural authorisation. If authorisation is not granted, all registrations will be fully refunded.

14.2 Cancellation by the participant
No refund will be given in the event of cancellation by the participant, whatever the reason (injury, illness, change of plans, etc.).

14.3 Cancellation / interruption of the event (force majeure)
If the event cannot take place, is interrupted or is modified at the last minute due to force majeure or events beyond the organiser’s control (weather conditions, decisions by authorities, safety, etc.), the organiser cannot guarantee a refund of the ticket price. It is strongly recommended to take out cancellation insurance covering this type of contingency.

15) Personal data – Image rights
Collected data is used only for registration management, safety, and event-related communication (in accordance with applicable regulations). Unless the participant provides written refusal, images/videos taken during the event may be used by the organiser for communication purposes.

16) Acceptance
By registering, the participant (and where applicable their accompanying kayaker(s)) acknowledges having read, understood and accepted these rules and undertakes to comply with them.