NOWCA unveils venue list for weekly free 400m open water swims

Parkrun has changed the world of running by offering free weekly timed 5km runs in parks, initially in the UK and now around the world. An obvious question is: could something similar work in the world of open water swimming?

NOWCA, which provides open water swimming lake management and timing systems, thinks it can. Working with 20 venues around the UK, NOWCA is launching a free, weekly, 400m timed swim. The event will be open to anyone with a NOWCA wristband, which costs £10 per year and can be used at any NOWCA accredited venue.

The aim of the new “NOWCA Swim”, as the programme is called, is to provide a fun route into the sport for people new to the open water as well as giving more experienced swimmers the opportunity to test themselves under race conditions. The hope is that, like Parkrun, it will tempt more people to become active and provide a gateway to the sport as all of the venues hosting NOWCA Swim also offer additional sessions and training options.

NOWCA was set up in 2010 as the National Open Water Coaching Association to help improve safety standards at open water swimming venues around Great Britain.

Find out more, including additional venues at: http://bit.ly/nowcaswim1

NOWCA Swim venues, days and times