How long may a swimmer take to finish?
A · Advanced · The competition · 1 of 4The time limit runs from the moment the first swimmer finishes. It is 15 minutes for every 5 km of the race, or part of 5 km, up to a maximum of 120 minutes. In a 10 km race that is 30 minutes. Swimmers still out after that are taken from the water unless the chief referee lets them finish.
How it works
- The rule: time limits apply "from the finish time of the first competitors": "15 minutes per 5km (or part thereof) up to a maximum time limit of 120 minutes".
- 5 km: 15 minutes.
- 10 km: 30 minutes.
- 25 km: 75 minutes.
- Out of time: "Competitors who do not finish the course within the time limit shall be removed from the water".
- The exception: the chief referee may allow a competitor outside the limit to complete the course, but they are not eligible for any points or prizes.
- Who orders it: a race judge has the power to order a competitor from the water once a time limit set by the chief referee has expired.
- Separate races: the men's and women's races are separate events, so each has its own first finisher.
Tricky cases
In a 10 km race the winner finishes in 1 hour 50 minutes. When is the cut-off?
At 2 hours 20 minutes. The limit is 30 minutes after the first finisher.
In a 7.5 km race, is the limit 15 minutes or 30?
Thirty. The limit is 15 minutes for each 5 km "or part thereof", and 7.5 km is one 5 km and part of another.
Can a swimmer who misses the limit still be allowed to finish?
Yes, if the chief referee allows it. They cannot earn points or prizes.
Why the rule exists
Safety cover, boats and officials have to stay on the water until the last swimmer is out. A limit tied to the winner's time scales with the conditions on the day: a slow race in rough water gives everyone longer.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| World Aquatics rules | As above | OWS 5.14; OWS 3.8.3 |
| Very long races | The limit stops growing at 120 minutes | OWS 5.14 |
| Road running | No time limit in the rules. Race organisers set their own | World Athletics TR 55 |
From the rule book
World Aquatics, Competition Regulations, Part Three: Open Water Swimming Rules (in force as from 1 January 2025), Articles 3.8.3, 4.10 and 5.14. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: World Aquatics Competition Regulations (PDF).