After three years at the ‘El Cruce’ open water swim race in Cancun, Mexico, the GSS Global Championships is moving to New Zealand.
The El Cruce event has hosted over 1,000 swimmers participating in the 10K swim to the island of Isla Mujures, off the coast of Cancun. El Cruce will be held on May 29-31, 2020 and will remain in the GSS (Global Swim Series).
The GSS team notes that its goal is to promote open water swimming around the world, and to increase participation in the sport. With that in mind the organising team has decided to move the GSS Global Championships to the southern hemisphere.
Swimmers in New Zealand, Australia and, of course, other swimmers from all around the world, will have a chance to swim in the GSS Global Championships at the Generation Homes ‘Sand to Surf’. The race will be held in the beach-side resort town of Tauranga on April 4, 2020.
Specifically, the race will be held at the iconic kiwi summer hotspot, Mount Maunganui, which is located in the Bay of Plenty. Swimmers can take in the picturesque white sand beach, renowned for producing the occasional swell and providing spectators with a vantage point to view races from start to finish.
The 2.6km championship event will be a point to point swim, starting on the beach and taking swimmers around the seaward side of two islands before finishing with a short run up the main beach. Spectators can access Moturiki Island on foot which will provide a front row view of the swimmers passing by before they turn and head for the finish line.
The New Zealand Ocean Swim Series is the largest group of open water swims in New Zealand, with over 8,000 swimmers participating in seven popular run races and this is a big one. The Tauranga event typically has over 1,000 swimmers taking part.
The Sand to Surf provides ocean swim events for all ages and abilities:
- I’m Going Long – 2.6km – a swim off the Main Beach, around Motuotau and Moturiki Islands, this will be the ‘main event’ for the GSS Global Championships
- Step it Up – 1km – a swim off the Main Beach, an achievable distance for individuals with swimming experience
- Give it a Go – 500m – a swim off the main beach, positioned as an introduction to open water swimming
- Banana Boat OceanKids – 200m – a swim for children aged between 7-12 years old, consisting of a 200m shallow water swim along the Main Beach shoreline, lined with Surf Life Saving NZ guards
- The Amphibian combines a 500m swim with a 4.5km run around the Mount Maunganui base track
