Swimming Events Guide 2024
NEWS,  SAFETY

New NOWCA Wild app supports safety of wild swimmers

This year, NOWCA will be launching a new app which aims to support the safety of wild swimmers. Named NOWCA Wild, the app will feature a wide range of built-in safety features including an emergency centre with automated notifications to family and friends, and eventually a group function for coordinating meet ups, events and guided swims. It will also link to water quality and conditions information and hopefully help support non-profit organisations in providing more information on water quality at more inland locations.

NOWCA is the UK’s largest network of safe open water venues, and have spent the last 10 years advocating safety for open water swimmers through the development of innovative integrated technology.

Currently supporting over 40 affiliated venues nationwide, NOWCA’s integrated systems provides a range of benefits for both venues and swimmers, including their tap-in, tap-out safety wristbands and integrated venue management system.

The app will be the only one to offer insurance cover for personal accident and injury once a wild swim is activated. Its system is integrated with NOWCA’s existing technology, which will enable safe and seamless open water swimming experiences.

Our founder Simon commented: “I’m delighted to see the launch of NOWCA Wild, especially the built in safety and alert options. It will make wild swimming safer and more accessible for everyone.”

Rick Kiddle, Founder of NOWCA said: “Our aim has always been to support the safety of swimmers where we can and to make open water more accessible for the community by helping support open water venues to keep their overheads as low as possible, and as safe as possible. We have been able to demonstrated how our systems and our ongoing support can help venues safely manage swimmers which has encouraged land owners and local authorities to give access to swimmers at locations that were previously deemed too risky. It is our goal to open up as much previously closed open water swimming opportunities as possible.”

NOWCA is embarking on the next part of their journey with the new NOWCA Wild app.

Rick continued: “We have seen the rising popularity of open water swimming in recent years and this has meant more people are taking up swimming in the wild. And whilst there is a lot of information out there to educate swimmers so they can make informed decisions, we wanted to create an app that draws all that information together in one place. The new NOWCA Wild app is tailored to support the safety of wild swimmers, who often do not have the lifeguards or safety crew that exists at a safely managed venue. At the end of the day, it’s about helping swimmers stay as safe as possible no mater where they choose to swim.”

Key features:

  • Insurance protection for every wild swim
  • Automated notification to your emergency contact
  • Identify associated risks for your chosen swim location
  • Get expert safty advice and guidance
  • Find, save, rate and share swim locations
  • Save your swim stats.

If you’d like to find out more about NOWCA Wild, visit the NOWCA stand (H32) at The National Outdoor Expo on 19 & 20 March.

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Outdoor Swimmer is the magazine for outdoor swimmers by outdoor swimmers. We write about fabulous wild swimming locations, amazing swim challenges, swim training advice and swimming gear reviews.