page_title: Open water swimming
section_title: Equipment used in competitions
hierarchical_section_title: Open water swimming / Equipment used in competitions
caption_attribution_description: English: Swim safety device for open water swimming Dansk: Havtaske til åbent vand-svømning
context_page_description: Open water swimming is a swimming discipline which takes place in outdoor bodies of water such as open oceans, lakes, and rivers.
  The beginning of the modern age of open water swimming is sometimes taken to be May 3, 1810, when Lord Byron swam several miles to cross the Hellespont from Europe to Asia.
  In the first edition of the modern Olympic Games in Athens in 1896, the swimming competition was held in open water. In 2000, the Olympic Games first included a triathlon with a 1500 m swim leg, and in 2008, a 10 km open water swim. The FINA World Aquatics Championships has featured open water swimming events since 1992. The FINA World Open Water Swimming Championships was held from 2000 to 2010. Since 2007, the FINA 10 km Marathon Swimming World Cup is held in several events around the world.
  The activity has grown in popularity in recent years with the publication of bestselling books on "wild swimming" by authors such as Kate Rew and Daniel Start, and Waterlog by Roger Deakin. Popular media coverage of "The Great British Swim," Ross Edgley's swim around mainland Great Britain, brought renewed attention to the activity.
context_section_description: The equipment allowed in a race depends on the sanctioning body and/or the race organizers.  For example, races may have divisions for wetsuits and/or relays; may require escort boats / kayakers / paddleboards; and may require specifically colored swim caps.  Some swimmers tend to keep it simple, using a basic swimsuit, goggles, and swim cap.  Many records are based on that attire, which is known as 'channel attire' because it is stipulated in the rules for English Channel crossings and the rules for other long swims.
caption: In some competitions, a floating bag is used for extra visibility
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