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aQuelle Midmar Mile 2026
5 Feb - 8 Feb SAST (+02:00)
Midmar Dam
Details
The aQuelle Midmar Mile is the world's largest open water swimming event, held annually in February at aQuelle Midmar Dam, North of Pietermaritzburg in South Africa. It attracts thousands of participants, from elite athletes to recreational swimmers. The race is approximately one mile, 1.6KM long, there is swim events for all ages and different levels of swimmers including disability, families, teams and professionals. This event is split over two days allowing swimmers to participate in multiple events in various categories and event to have multiple dam crossings.
Information
EVENT 1 | 08:15am
- Pope-Ellis Comrades Biathlon
- Pope-Ellis Dusi Canoe Biathlon
- Pope-Ellis Ironman/Ironwoman
- Disabled & 71/over
- KPCA Group Ellie Swimmers
EVENT 2 | 09:45am
- Family Teams
EVENT 3 | 11:00am
- Company Teams
EVENT 4 | 12:15pm
- Non-Company Teams
EVENT 5 | 08:30am
- Female 13/u & 31/over
EVENT 6 | 09:45am
- Male 13/u & 31/over
EVENT 7 | 11:00am
- Female 14-30
EVENT 8 | 12:15pm
- Male 14-30
The event gains its name from the location (Midmar Dam) and the distance (roughly one mile (1.6 km). The inaugural Midmar Mile was held in 1974 In 2009 the event, in which 13 755 competitors finished the race, was recognised by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's largest open water swimming event. Each year, it draws thousands of competitors, from serious international athletes and Olympic medallists to purely recreational swimmers. The inaugural Midmar Mile was held in 1974.
In 2009 the event, in which 13 755 competitors finished the race, was recognised by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's largest open water swimming event. In order to handle the vast number of competitors, the swimmers swim out in 5 groups at three-minute intervals in 8 separate mile races over two days; the group division the swimmer is assigned to is based on a qualifying time in a previous (qualifying) event, with the fastest group leaving first.
Organiser
aQuellé Midmar Mile
Information
EVENT 1 | 08:15am
- Pope-Ellis Comrades Biathlon
- Pope-Ellis Dusi Canoe Biathlon
- Pope-Ellis Ironman/Ironwoman
- Disabled & 71/over
- KPCA Group Ellie Swimmers
EVENT 2 | 09:45am
- Family Teams
EVENT 3 | 11:00am
- Company Teams
EVENT 4 | 12:15pm
- Non-Company Teams
EVENT 5 | 08:30am
- Female 13/u & 31/over
EVENT 6 | 09:45am
- Male 13/u & 31/over
EVENT 7 | 11:00am
- Female 14-30
EVENT 8 | 12:15pm
- Male 14-30
The event gains its name from the location (Midmar Dam) and the distance (roughly one mile (1.6 km). The inaugural Midmar Mile was held in 1974 In 2009 the event, in which 13 755 competitors finished the race, was recognised by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's largest open water swimming event. Each year, it draws thousands of competitors, from serious international athletes and Olympic medallists to purely recreational swimmers. The inaugural Midmar Mile was held in 1974.
In 2009 the event, in which 13 755 competitors finished the race, was recognised by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's largest open water swimming event. In order to handle the vast number of competitors, the swimmers swim out in 5 groups at three-minute intervals in 8 separate mile races over two days; the group division the swimmer is assigned to is based on a qualifying time in a previous (qualifying) event, with the fastest group leaving first.
Organiser
aQuellé Midmar Mile
Info
The aQuelle Midmar Mile is the world's largest open water swimming event, held annually in February at aQuelle Midmar Dam, North of Pietermaritzburg in South Africa. It attracts thousands of participants, from elite athletes to recreational swimmers. The race is approximately one mile, 1.6KM long, there is swim events for all ages and different levels of swimmers including disability, families, teams and professionals. This event is split over two days allowing swimmers to participate in multiple events in various categories and event to have multiple dam crossings.