Gozo News

Renowned ultra-distance swimmer Neil Agius has announced the ‘Sea Festival – Around Gozo’, Malta’s first ultra-distance open water swimming event.

This exciting challenge will take place on Monday 1 July and will see competitors swim around the island of Gozo, a total distance of 37 kilometres.

Participants will set out from Hondoq ir-Rummien at 4am on this epic journey, swimming in a clockwise direction around the island of Gozo.

Activities fall into two categories:

• Solo swimming, where athletes will complete the entire distance alone, and team swimming, which allows participants to share the effort throughout the process. The solo swim is a significant test of endurance, requiring competitors to complete 37 kilometers within a time limit of 15 hours. This category attracted 11 determined solo swimmers, each ready to take on this daunting challenge.

• In team swimming events, participants will work together to complete the race, which is slightly less difficult but still very challenging. One team of three swimmers, two teams of four and five swimmers respectively, will complete the race in a relay format, emphasizing teamwork.

The organizers explained that in order to ensure the safety of all participants, each participant or group will be equipped with an escort ship. In addition, the Ocean Festival crew will also send three support ships to patrol the route.

St John Ambulance will have a marine ambulance and a land team on standby, with the Emergency Response and Rescue Corps (ERRC) also sending its support vessel to the scene later in the day.

They said preparatory meetings had been held with Transport Malta and Gozo Channel personnel to ensure clear communication and establish safety protocols.

Neil Agius, renowned for his extraordinary achievements in open water swimming, has been heavily involved in the preparations for the event. Over the past six months the swimmers have undergone rigorous training including dedicated swim sessions, diet and nutrition advice, mindset training, and expert insight from Neil himself.

The festival organisers say they are committed to promoting open water swimming and fostering a sense of community among swimmers of all levels. “By pushing boundaries and embracing the beauty of Maltese waters, the festival aims to create unforgettable experiences that inspire and challenge participants to reach new goals. One of the main goals of the festival is to connect people with nature, with the ocean being an essential part of the natural heritage of the Maltese Islands.”

The Ocean Festival would like to express its heartfelt gratitude to the relevant departments and teams that made this event possible. “Their unwavering support and dedication embody the community spirit that the Ocean Festival strives to promote.

Organisers also paid special thanks to the volunteer staff, “whose enthusiasm and drive are vital when our swimmers face difficult situations and who always help to lift these events to new heights”.

Event Details

Date: Monday, July 1

Start time: 4 am

Starting location: Hondoq ir-Rumien

Distance: 37 km

Participants: 32 swimmers (11 solo swimmers, one group of 3, two groups of 4 and 5)

Photos: Festival of the Sea – Gozo Gorge 2023