Course Information

Cut-off times have been set along the course for the health and safety of swimmers (see box within Full Course Map above). Swimmers, including Ultramarathon and Solo swimmers, that do not meet the cut-off times will be asked to exit the water and be disqualified from the race. Swimmers can choose to return to the mainland or continue to Rottnest Island. These cut offs are subject to weather conditions and MAY CHANGE over the course of the day if the weather deteriorates.

If instructed by race officials, swimmers must leave the water, return to their support vessels, and follow further instructions.

Download Port to Pub buoy coordinates (Excel file).
Download the Port to Pub buoy coordinates (GPX file).

Note: Stay on course

Participants should remain as close to the designated course rhumb line (most direct course) marked by buoys. Vessels straying too far from the course will be advised by officials to return.

The Port to Pub 25km Ultramarathon begins at Leighton Beach in front of the Fremantle Surf Life Saving Club. The 25km course starts with a 5km loop along Leighton Beach. Ultramarathon swimmers swim to the ‘Ultramarathon turn buoy 1 & 3’ and make a 90-degree clockwise turn.

Swimmers then head north for 2.62km, staying on the western side of the course until the large pink ‘Ultramarathon turn buoy 2’. Competitors make a 180-degree clockwise turn and return south for 2.62km, staying on the eastern side of the course until the ‘Ultramarathon turn buoy 1 & 3’. Competitors make a 90-degree clockwise turn and proceed along the direct course to the finish line at Rottnest Island.

Buoys mark the most direct course line at: 9km, 12km, 15km, 16km, 17km, 18km, 19km, 20km, 21km, 22km, 23km, and 24km. The final 3km of marker buoys are shown on the Rottnest Island Approach map.

Red buoys mark north of the rhumb line at: 15km, 19km, and 22km. Swimmers must remain south of the red buoys at all times.

The 19.7km Port to Pub course from Leighton Beach direct to Rottnest Island begins at Leighton Beach in front of the Fremantle Surf Life Saving Club and ends in front of Hotel Rottnest.

Channel buoys mark the most direct course line at: 4km, 7km, 10km, 11km, 12km, 13km, 14km, 15km, 16km, 17km, 18km, and 19km. The final 3km of marker buoys are shown on the Rottnest Island Approach map.

Red buoys mark north of the rhumb line at: 10km, 14km, and 17km. Swimmers must remain south of the red buoys at all times.

Note: 25km Ultramarathon distances are in parentheses

18km (23km) buoy at Philip Rock
A large orange buoy is set adjacent to Philip Rock to form a gate and mark the northern boundary (note that this is not the rhumb line) at approximate Latitude 31 59.811 S, Longitude 115 33.659 E. The cut-off time for this location is 4:15pm.

Buoys between 18-19km (23-24km)
Pink buoys indicate the rhumb line every 200m to intersect the 19km gate.

  Support boat instructions for this section:

• Support boats that are more than 10 metres in length must leave the swim course at the 18km (23km) gate.
• Support boats that are 10 metres or less in length may leave the swim course (but are not required to) at the 18km (23km) gate.
• Support boats that go beyond the 18km (23km) gate are encouraged to navigate to the boundaries of the swim course as the next kilometre of the course can become heavily congested.
• At the 19km (24km) marker, support boats still on the course must leave their swimmer/s and depart the swim channel by veering to the north or south. Boats must not cross back over the swim channel; if they do so, they risk disqualification of their swimmer/s.

19km (24km) gate
Two large yellow buoys marked ‘19km/24km [No Boats]’ is set to form a target for swimmers to pass through. All duo and team members may enter the water and continue together at this point.

Reminder: Support boats still on the course must leave their swimmer/s once they have reached this point and depart the swim channel by veering to the north or south. Boats must not cross back over the swim channel; if they do so, they risk disqualification of their swimmer/s.

The cut-off time for this location is 4:45pm.

Buoys between 19km (24km) and the finish channel
After the 19km (24km) gate, there are directional marker buoys. Once the swimmer/s pass through these buoys, they reach the entrance to the final 400m finish channel.

Two large blue buoys form the “Gage Roads Gate” followed closely by red buoys to mark the start of the 400m finish channel that all swimmers must pass through. Paddlers (except for paddlers for 25km Ultramarathon and 19.7km Solo swimmers) must exit at this 400m mark. Paddlers for Ultra and Solo swimmers are required to support their swimmers to shore.

Swimmers must swim between the marked float lines for the last 400 metres. Swimmers should be careful through the mooring area and throughout Thomson Bay. Paddlers, please direct your swimmers to the finishing arch.

Paddlers must return their crafts to the support boat or drag crafts to a safe spot far up the beach to collect. Boats are to drop off support crew who wish to stay on the island at the fuel jetty, and then moor or return to Perth.

Swimmers, skippers, paddlers, and support crew should organise a spot to meet once the race is complete.