18km Fiji Swim - Sofitel Resort & Spa to Beachcomber Island

Thursday 24 July 2008

Introduced in 2006, the 18km Relay Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa to Beachcomber Island Relay is a long distance ocean swim that came from the crazy idea of swimming the same route that many thousands of tourists take by boat to Beachcomber and Treasure Islands every year.

Sunrise on the morning of the race

The relay starts from the beach at the Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa on Denarau Island and finishes 18km later on Beachcomber Island. We have to say it’s a pretty good feeling arriving on Beachcomber to see the faces of everyone who realises you have just swum from the mainland. A highlight of the relay is swimming past many of tropical islands of the Mamanuca group each of which is a tropical coral atoll that has literally grown out of the sea, while the Nukuasiga sand bar is still treeless, waiting for its first coconut to arrive and take root.

Swimmers take to the course either as teams of five, duo or solo. With each team/duo/solo swimmer accompanied by a boat and kayak for the distance. Teams and duos are free to rotate swimming between themselves as they please.

If you don’t have a team of five people for the relay let us know as it is almost certain that we will be able to put you in contact with others looking for an extra swimmer or two.

Pre Race Briefing

On Wednesday 23 July, the night before the relay we will hold a pre race briefing session at the Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa. The briefing is compulsory for all swimmers, boat captains and kayakers. After the briefing we would like to invite you to join us for dinner next to the beach where the relay starts the next morning.

Kayakers at the start of the 18km relay

Organising Kayakers and Escort Boats

To help manage water safety, all teams, duo and solo swimmers are required to be accompanied by a kayak and escort boat.

We can assist you in organising an escort boat, kayak and kayakers. The cost of chartering boats is to be met by each team, while courtesy of our resort partners there should be enough complimentary kayaks and kayakers for each team.