Rip swimmers to brave the cold

A RECORD number of participants are gearing up to brave the cold as they swim the crossing from Point Nepean to Point Lonsdale.

The fifth winter Rip Swim will be held on July 13, with 37 swimmers set to take on this year’s challenge.

Event organiser and founder Grant Siedle said the water would be about 12 degrees Celsius, with participants taking part in different activities to prepare.

“Most people have been doing a few years of winter swimming and they’re just very acclimatised because they’ve been swimming regularly through winter.

“We’ve started to get more people who are not necessarily from these traditional swimming background, so people who are just looking for a real adventure.”

Unlike the summer event, wetsuits are not allowed for the 3.2km winter crossing.

“The reason we do this is because the very first crossing was done by Doug Mew in 1971 and he swam without a wetsuit, his crossing went from Point Lonsdale across to Point Nepean,” Mr Siedle said.

“We’d just like to honour that tradition he set of the no wetsuit swim in winter.”

In order to complete the crossing, all participants must first qualify by completing a mandatory swim in Melbourne where Mr Siedle ensures their skills are up to the challenge.

Numbers for the winter event have steadily increased over the past five years, with 68 participants completing the winter crossing since its 2019 beginning.

A fleet of IRBs, jet skis and kayakers will monitor swimmers during their journey across the rip.

Depending on weather, participants will be setting off from Point Nepean at about 12.30pm.

For those wanting to welcome participants across the finishing line, they will be arriving at Point Lonsdale’s main beach at about 1pm.

For more information, head to ripswim.com.au