About the Race
Race Date: July 23, 2023
Location: Kitsilano Beach, Vancouver BC.
Distances: 750m, 1.5 km, 3 km, 6 km, 4 x 1.5 km Relay - Course MapVOWSA proudly hosts the Kits Challenge each year at Kits Beach in Vancouver, BC. This page goes over all the registration and race details.
Registration Deadline
Registration closes one full week in advance of the event date. This year registration closes on July 15, 2023 11:55 pm PDT.
Please ensure you are registered by this deadline. At each Kits Challenge there are people who believe they are registered when they are not. As we are now using Eventbrite, you can check your registration on Eventbrite. Each swimmer needs to register individually so you can accept the waiver and refund policy.
There’s no late registration and no registration the day of the race. This is for safety reasons and so we have enough time to coordinate with Sportstat and get ready for each swimmer at the event.
For questions about the race please contact kitsrace@vowsa.bc.ca
Register
We acknowledge the registration form asks for binary genders (male or female) and “other” and for age. These answers matter for Sportstats global ranking and some individuals in our community want a global ranking. We have contacted Sportstat to ask for more inclusive categories, but this may not be ready for the race.
For technical problems with registration please contact website@vowsa.bc.ca. The website coordinator will respond as soon as she can and asks that you kindly remember she is a volunteer. 🙂
Registration Fees
| Category | Registration Fee |
|---|---|
| Kits Swim Ticket (Early Bird) | $55 (note that relay team members MUST register individually) |
| Kits Swim Ticket (Regular) | $65 (note that relay team members MUST register individually) |
If you want to enter the race and these registration fees present a barrier to participation, please contact Christine at president@vowsa.bc.ca.
Race Waiver
You must accept the waiver for this event during the registration process. You do not need to print it and bring it to the event.
Participants under 19 years old must agree to fill out the assumption of risk document during the registration process and you must print it and bring this assumption of risk document to the event.
Relay Teams
You can enter as a relay team for the Kits Challenge. It’s a 4 x 1.5km race. Your team can have between 2-4 people. Each person must register and pay individually. When you register and put in your distance, we ask for your relay team name. You need to register individually so we can capture your emergency contact information and acceptance of the waiver and refund policy.
Please note that ticket sales are first come, first served. We don’t hold tickets for a relay team – everyone draws from the same pool of 250 tickets. If you’re on a relay team and one of your relay team members registers after the tickets are sold out, then you’re out of luck. Please register early to avoid this disappointment.
Race Schedule
Check-in Times
- 7:00 am — Check-in begins for 3 & 6 km
- 8:00 am — Check-in closes for 3 & 6 km
- 8:30 am — Check-in begins for 750m & 1.5 km
- 9:30 am — Check-in closes for 750m & 1.5 km
Failure to check-in during the appropriate check-in period will result in entry cancellation.
Race Start Times
- 8:30 am — 6 km Solo & Relay
- 8:45 am — 3 km
- 9:45 am — 1.5 km
- 10:00 am – 750m
Start times are approximate and may be delayed.
Course Cut-offs
VOWSA tries to give as much time as possible for swimmers to complete their preferred distance, however, discretionary cut-offs may be implemented by the Race Director and/or lifeguard team. For 2023, all swimmers must be out of the water by 11:30am, which allows 3 hours for the 6k swim and relay , 2 hours 45 minutes for the 3k, and 1 hour 45 minutes for the 1.5k, and 1 hour 30 minutes for the 750m swim. If you have concerns about completing your race in time email the race directors at kitsrace@vowsa.bc.ca to switch to a shorter distance free of charge up until the close of registration.
Wetsuits
Wetsuits are not mandatory for this race event, but for safety reasons you must let us know at check-in if you plan to change from wetsuit to non-wetsuit, or vice versa. If you fail to inform us of a change of wetsuit category, you will be disqualified.
Don’t have a wetsuit? Talk to Team Aquatic Supplies.
Weather and Water Quality
Kitsilano Beach Water Quality Report
VOWSA reserves the right to reschedule or cancel events if water conditions are unsafe. VOWSA reserves the right to refuse entry based on safety or health concerns or previous violations of official rules.
Results
- 2023 – 6km 3km 1.5km 750m 4×1.5km Non wetsuit finishers
- 2022 – 6km 3km 1.5km 750m 4×1.5km Non wetsuit finishers
- 2021 – 6km 3km 1.5km 750m 4×1.5km Non wetsuit finishers
- 2020 – No race due to pandemic
- 2019 – 6km 3km 1.5km 750m
- 2018 – 6km Wetsuit | 6km No Wetsuit | 3km Wetsuit | 3km No Wetsuit | 1.5km Wetsuit | 1.5km No Wetsuit | 750m Wetsuit | 750m No Wetsuit
- 2017 – 6 km Wetsuit | 6 km No Wetsuit | 3 km Wetsuit | 3 km No Wetsuit | 1.5 km | 1.5km No Wetsuit | 750m | 4 x 1.5km Relay
- 2016 – 6 km Wetsuit | 6 km No Wetsuit | 3 km Wetsuit | 3 km No Wetsuit | 1.5 km | 4 x 1.5 km
- 2015 – 6 km | 6 km Relay | 3 km | 1.5 km
- 2014 – 6 km | 6 km Relay | 3 km | 1.5 km
- 2013 – 6 km | 3 km | 1.5 km
Previous years’ results can be found on the SportStat website by searching for Kits Challenge.
