Tuesday 3 November 2026 · Melbourne Cup Day · Williamstown Beach
Start Cup Day in the bay.
Use the public holiday to kick-start your summer of big swims. Four distances from 800m to 3200m, close to shore, with the city skyline over your shoulder — then the rest of the day to yourself.
Member entries open now
Entries are open to MOWSC members first. Public entries open Monday 12 October.
One course. Pick your laps.
Tap a distance800m
One lap · Melbourne Open Water Swimming Cup
A single lap of the course and the easiest way into the day. Close to shore the whole way, with marshals on the water and the finish in sight from almost anywhere on the loop.
- Wave start9:05am
- Minimum age12
- Placings1–2–3 overall
- Member entry$40
- Non-member$50
Members only until Mon 12 Oct
Online entry: 18+ · under 18s enter via a parent
Course shown is indicative, based on the set-aside area published by Parks Victoria for previous years. The exact buoy positions and the boating exclusion zone are confirmed in a Notice to Mariners in the week before the swim.
About the swim
Built for a first open water swim — and a good hitout if it isn't.
The Cup has opened the Victorian open water season since 2017. It's a contained circuit close to the beach inside a no-boating zone, with support craft spread right around the course, which makes it an unusually forgiving place to swim your first event.
Never out of your depth for long
The loop hugs the bay's curve rather than heading out to sea. You're close to shore for the whole lap and there's always a marshal within sight.
Feed station on the water
A BYO/DIY feeding station sits on the course for the 2400m and 3200m swims. Bring a labelled mesh bag with your drink and gels and grab it between laps.
Your cap is included
Entry includes a large 60g silicone open water cap, handed out at check-in. Still got last year's? Bring it and wear that instead.
One field, three places
No age groups and no separate men's and women's results. Everyone in a distance swims the one field and we award first, second and third overall. The 3200m is the exception — the standard wave and Superfish are scored separately, and the Cup itself goes to the winner of Superfish.
Swim it your way
Wetsuit or bathers, both are fine. There's no official timing either — most swimmers use their own watch, and we can verify your time on the day if you want it recorded.
Race morning
How Tuesday runs.
Check in before you change — it's how we know who's in the water. Everything after that is called from the beach.
- 7:30amCheck-in opensCollect your cap at the tent before you get changed.
- 8:50amSwimmer briefingCourse, conditions and wave order, on the sand. Don't miss it.
- 9:00amSuperfish 3200m awayThe championship wave goes first. The Cup is won here.
- 9:01am3200m, waves A and BTwo minutes apart to spread the field at Turn 1.
- 9:03am2400m awayThree laps.
- 9:04am1600m awayTwo laps.
- 9:05am800m awayOne lap, last off the beach.
Entry
What it costs.
Entries run through Hello Club, with a separate booking for each distance. MOWSC members pay $10 less at every one of them.
Members first · Public entries Monday 12 October
Entries are open to members right now
Every distance is live and taking bookings, but for the moment you'll need a current MOWSC membership to complete an entry. Public entries open on Monday 12 October. Membership is $80 per calendar year and pro-rata, so joining now is under $30 for the rest of 2026 — and it takes $10 off this swim plus $10 off all 52 Saturday swim groups.
| Distance | Laps | Member | Non-member | Enter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 800m | 1 | $40 | $50 | Enter the 800m → |
| 1600m | 2 | $45 | $55 | Enter the 1600m → |
| 2400m | 3 | $60 | $70 | Enter the 2400m → |
| 3200m | 4 | $60 | $70 | Enter the 3200m → |
| 3200m Superfish 🏆 | 4 | $60 | $70 | Enter Superfish → |
Fees include your event cap. Minimum age is 12 for the 800m and 1600m, and 15 for the 2400m and 3200m. Online entry is for over-18s only, at every distance. Under-18s are entered by a parent or guardian — see the questions below. Superfish is the championship 3200m wave, for swimmers who can hold under 1:40 per 100m — the Cup goes to its winner. Non-member entry opens Monday 12 October.
Members save
$10
Off every distance, on top of $10 off all 52 Saturday swim groups. Membership is $80 per calendar year, charged pro-rata — under $30 if you join now for the rest of 2026.
Before you enter
The usual questions.
Where exactly do I go?
Do I have to be a member to enter?
You need to register with the club, but you don't have to join. Everyone who enters sets up a Hello Club account and signs the waiver — that's free, takes a couple of minutes, and it's how we know who's in the water. Paid membership is a separate step, and it's optional.
Until Monday 12 October entries are open to members only. From that date anyone can enter.
If you do want to join, membership is $80 per calendar year and charged pro-rata — so signing up now costs under $30 for the rest of 2026, before it resets to the full $80 in January. That takes $10 off your Cup entry and $10 off every Saturday swim group, so the entry discount alone claws back more than a third of it on Cup Day. Register or join here.
My child wants to swim. How do I enter them?
Online entry is only available to over-18s — at every distance, including the 800m. Under-18s are welcome at the distances they're old enough for (12 and over for the 800m and 1600m, 15 and over for the 2400m and 3200m), but they can't be registered online or register themselves. Entry runs through a parent or guardian and there's a manual step in the middle, so start it well before the week of the swim.
- Register with the club yourself and sign the waiver. The waiver has to be signed by a parent or guardian, so the adult account needs to exist first.
- Email us your child's name and email address. Send it to admin@melbourneopenwaterswimmingclub.org.
- We add them to your account by hand. Once they're linked, you book their entry the same way you'd book your own.
- If your child is under 15, include a letter from their swimming coach confirming they're ready for an open water swim. We ask for this at any distance, not just the longer ones.
Parents and guardians are expected to actively supervise their children at this event and at every club swim group — on the beach and while they're in the water. Entering your child isn't the same as handing them over to us, and our water safety crew are watching the whole field rather than any one swimmer.
I've never swum in open water. Should I enter?
The 800m would be best suited for your first swim. That said, open water should not be treated lightly, even in calm and warm conditions.
We encourage you to attend a few practice swims first — the club's 8am Saturday class at Williamstown covers sighting, breathing and getting comfortable in chop.
Alternatively, please call us on 0487 678 787 for more information if you are not sure.
Can I wear a wetsuit?
Yes. Wetsuits are welcome at every distance, and plenty of swimmers wear one. The only thing that would change that is the water being too warm — and in early November the bay is still coming up from winter, so it's very unlikely to come up.
The call is made on the morning from the measured water temperature and announced at the 8:50am briefing:
- 24°C+ Wetsuits not permitted. Too warm to shed heat while you're working. Wearing one brings a real risk of overheating, dehydration and dizziness, and dizziness in open water is dangerous.
- 22–23°C Allowed, but think about it. You don't need one for warmth. If you wear it for buoyancy, keep your effort down and get out if you start feeling hot or light-headed.
- Under 22°C Wear one if you'd like. The usual November range, and entirely your call either way.
If you're unsure how you handle cold, the club's open water temperature guide is worth a read before you decide.