Applications & Why Choose Cork Distance Week

Applications for a swimming place will be accepted after 15 August 2022

There are 3 or 4 times as many swimmers interested compared to places available (parking and dry land space is limited). There are no professional lifeguards or fully manned safety motor boats – so swimmers experience/current capability is our number 1 safety measure. Finally we want a good mix of swimmers from different countries, with different goals plus CDW veterans and “newbies”. For these reasons the event is invitation only.

Please add any BRIEF details below these headers and email to ned.denison@corkopenwater.com – as your application. Apply anytime before 1 June 2023 – but most places will be gone by end of October 2022. Just copy these questions to an email, answer and send.

1. Long distance career – how many 10k+ marathons?  Longest swim?  English Channel?  Triple Crown?  Marathons in 2021/2022?
2. Age?
3. Where did you grow up? Where do you live now?
4. Is your name on the CDW towel?   Should it be on for the first time in 2023?  Any change (Triple Crown)? Have you been honoured as a “CDW Hero”?
5. 2023 marathon plans?   Which have you paid a deposit on any of those?
6. Have you attended Cork Distance Week before?  How many times?
   1. Have you paid a sponsorship (or suffered a registration fee in excess of 800 euro for late entry)? – Give details please
   2. Have you donated equipment/food?
   3. Have you hosted an event during Cork Distance Week?
   4. Have you done multiple volunteer sessions?
   5. Did you bring a partner who did volunteer work?
7. Does your attendance depend on other swimmers being invited?
   1. If not dependent – who are your mates you hope are invited?
   2. Anybody you would not want to attend with (example an ex-partner)?
8. Will you plan on staying locally in Kinsale and have your own car (as opposed to renting a car)– with room for at least 4?
9. Will you volunteer to help for session and/or bring a partner who volunteers to help/kayak?
10. Do you think I (Ned) committed (in advance) to inviting you?  Details please…
11. Did you apply in a previous year – and was told “Not Yet” and asked to get more experience? If yes – give years…and what you did since.
12. Any health/safety issues we need to know about?  This does not necessarily exclude you…
13. Are you a Doctor, Nurse, EMT or trained to high level first aid?
14. Do you have a listing in https://longswims.com/ and/or https://www.openwaterpedia.com/wiki/Openwaterpedia ? If yes provide a URL
15. We hesitate to take swimmer under 18 – give details including the parent/coach who will be be dedicated (not swimming) to minding you.
16. Are you a serious open water swim organizer/volunteer?
17. One of our swimmers has sponsored a set of CDW registration fees.  Please let us know if your finances are so stretched by the cost of marathon swim travel that you might pass on CDW.  This will be kept confidential and never noted in public.

Why Choose Cork Distance Week

There are least 15 different on-site training programs for marathon swimmers. We hear good things about ALL of them, which is not surprising, put more than 5 marathon swimmers together for more than a few days and they will learn, bond and train.

CDW is different is several ways – and doesn’t suit all swimmers.

Longest program – 9 days

One of the oldest programs – since 2009

One of the largest number of swimmers – averaging about 80 from the most locations around the world.

The water temperatures are ALWAYS colder than Dover and we have a natural (~1 mile/1.6km) course around a cool Island (see here)

The most difficult program to get invited to and certainly the most difficult to organize lodging/local transport.

One of the largest number of swimmers – averaging about 80 from the most locations around the world. This means 500 or so CDW veterans around the world for you to meet up with!

The focus is on making connections, learning, finding motivation and swimming (meters on variable conditions).

The towel (see below!)

Triple Crown Dinner (see below!)

Done right, the swimmer will acquire friends around the world who they will re-connect with for decades to come at long distance events.

A Whatsapp group which will have you following your new friends (and other CDW veterans) on swims around the world.