About this race
At the Mackay Surf Lifesaving Club, this annual open-water swim takes place during the winter, not in imitation of summer. The 2025 Winter Solstice Open Water Swim is its second year, organized around the shortest day of the year, requiring cold-water nerve and early-morning resolve.
The process is straightforward: check in before sunrise, attend the briefing, then enter the water for a mass start. It is described as a “daring test of grit, spirit, and determination,” fitting for swimmers ready for the challenge on the year’s darkest day.