Assessment swim

noun - An assessment swim (or a check out swim or a qualifying swim or a trial swim) is a mandatory open water swim required by governing bodies of swimmers prior to attempting a channel swim or marathon swim or open water swim, and is part of the governing body's duty of care

Types of Assessment Swims

For ocean swims or short-distance open water swims, swimmers are required to swim a certain distance usually a small percentage of the total distance of the open water swimming competition. The 2-mile Dwight Crum Pier-to-Pier Swim in Southern California requires swimmers to pass a 500-meter check out swim. Decisions of the lifeguards at check out are final.

For the Great Chesapeake Bay Swim in Maryland's Chesapeake Bay, applicants must submit documentation that they have either completed a recent open water swim or completed a 3-mile pool swim in under 2 hours 15 minutes.

For the Rottnest Channel Swim in Western Australia, a solo swimmer must have either completed a Rottnest Channel Swim solo crossing within the previous two years or completed a 10 km qualifying swim between 1 November and 1 February.

For the International Self-Transcendence Marathon Swim in Lake Zurich, Switzerland, solo swimmers must confirm they are able to swim 6 hours at a minimum speed of 2.8 km per hour.

For Lake Ontario marathon swims in Canada, solo swimmers must complete an outdoor, open water, continuous trial swim of not less than one-third of the intended distance, with a maximum of 10 miles (16 km), to test the swimmer's readiness.

For the Manhattan Island Marathon Swim in New York City, solo swimmers must complete a 4-hour qualifying swim and submit their 1-hour maximum distance swim for consideration.

For a Cook Strait crossing, a 6-hour swim in 15ºC or less with a minimum speed of 3 km per hour is recommended to be successful.

For the English Channel, the Channel Swimming Association and the Channel Swimming & Piloting Federation require a ratified 6-hour open water swim by solo swimmers at least 14 days before the swimmer's swim tide period starts. The 6-hour swim can be completed at any stage from 30 months before the planned swim date and must be performed in water 60ºF or less.

For the English Channel, the Channel Swimming Association and the Channel Swimming & Piloting Federation require a ratified 2-hour open water swim by relay swimmers at least 14 days before the swimmer's swim tide period starts. The 6-hour swim can be completed at any stage from 18 months before the planned swim date. The team leader is responsible for confirming the relay's 2-hour swims by all team members.

For the North Channel, the Irish Long Distance Swimming Association requires a ratified 6-hour open water swim by solo swimmers in water 13°C or below or a ratified 8-hour swim in 15°C below within 9 months or less from the date of their North Channel slot or proof of completion in a recognised channel swim in water 13°C or below for a period considered by the ILDSA to be an acceptable alternative within the previous 9 months of the date of their North Channel slot.