San Remo Channel Challenge 2027
About the race
The iconic San Remo Channel Challenge is Victoria's premier aquathon, hosted by the Woolamai Beach Surf Life Saving Club.
The swim and run are the highlight of a day-long festival with market stands, food vendors, live music and other festivities. You do not need to be a participant in the main event to enjoy the day.
The event is a major fundraiser for Woolamai Beach SLSC. All proceeds support volunteer patrols at Woolamai Beach and Smiths Beach, and the lifesaving services that support the wider Phillip Island community.
Prizes and T-shirts
Prizes are awarded to category competitors in junior, senior and open divisions, and to local competitors in age categories for both males and females. Total prizes include $3,000 in cash plus $3,000 worth of products and services.
All participants receive a Channel Challenge T-shirt. Nominate your T-shirt size during registration. Registrations after Sunday 24 January may not have their selected T-shirt size available.
Bass Coast Summer Series
The San Remo Channel Challenge is one of three events that make up the Bass Coast Summer Series. The other two are the Cape Aquathon and the Cowes Classic.
Participants earn points by finishing in the ranked positions (1 to 20) within their relevant categories. There is prize money for the overall category series winners.
Getting to San Remo
San Remo is a fishing village on the mainland of South Gippsland in the Shire of Bass Coast, approximately 125km south-east of Melbourne.
The course
The swim is 550 metres across the Westernport channel from San Remo on the mainland to Newhaven on Phillip Island. The swim can only take place on the slack water of the appropriate high tide, and competitors must complete it within the slack water period. After the swim, competitors run barefoot to the transition area at Newhaven, put on their running shoes and run back over the Phillip Island Bridge to the finish line on the main street in San Remo.
Swim conditions and tide
Due to strong tide flow through the channel, the swim can only take place on the slack water of the appropriate high tide. Swimmers come ashore at Newhaven on the north side of the channel. Slack water of the high tide lasts approximately fifteen to twenty minutes, in which time competitors must complete the swim.
Race weekend schedule
Location
San Remo, VIC, Australia Open in Google Maps
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