Press release · For immediate release
Three days, five distances, one bay. The Cyprus Swim Series returns to Pissouri Beach from 13 to 15 November 2026 for the third edition of the Pissouri Open Water Festival, with races for swimmers aged eight and up, from a 500-metre kids' race to an 8km point-to-point swim along the coast.
PISSOURI, Cyprus, 16 October 2026 — The festival takes place on the beach in front of Columbia Beach Resort and is the autumn stop of the Cyprus Swim Series. It is designed so that there is a race for everyone: experienced open water swimmers, first-time competitors, relay teams of friends, and children taking on their first race in the sea.
Racing in the Mediterranean in November
The timing is deliberate. The Mediterranean holds its summer warmth well into the autumn, and sea temperatures around Pissouri typically sit between 22 and 25°C in November. Under the race rules, water above 20°C means no wetsuits, so organisers expect a non-wetsuit swim in clear, calm water. The water temperature is measured on race morning and announced an hour before each start.
Friday 13 November: briefing at Columbia Beach Resort
The weekend opens on Friday evening, from 18:00 to 20:00, at Columbia Beach Resort. Athletes collect their race bags and attend a safety and course briefing, followed by an open question-and-answer session with the organisers.
Saturday 14 November: 5km, 3km, juniors and kids
Saturday is the main race day. The 5km race starts at 08:00, followed by the 3km at 08:05. Both are land starts from the beach, and both are swum on a six-buoy course in the bay. The 5km field completes the course twice, while the 3km swimmers complete one lap. Both distances have men's and women's age categories: 18–29, 30–39, 40–49 and 50+ Masters.
At 10:00, the Juniors (ages 13 to 17) start their 1.25km race and the Kids (ages 8 to 12) start their 0.5km race, both on a short loop close to the shore. The children's races were moved to 10:00 for this edition so that parents can finish their own race first and then be on the beach to cheer their children on. No cut-off times apply to the junior and kids' races.
Saturday's awards ceremony takes place on Pissouri Beach at 11:00.
Sunday 15 November: the 8km swim and relay
Sunday is set aside for the festival's longest race. Swimmers are taken by bus from Columbia Beach Resort to Prolimnos Beach, and at 08:00 they set off on a one-way, 8km swim back along the coast to the finish on Pissouri Beach. Safety boats stationed at the 2km, 4km and 6km marks act as feeding stations, with water and seasonal fruit on board.
The 8km is also open to relay teams. In teams of four, each swimmer covers 2km, with changeovers at the safety boats: the incoming swimmer high-fives the next teammate, who is waiting on the boat. Teams of two swap once, at the 4km boat. Sunday's awards ceremony is at 12:30.
Safety and organisation
The event has approval from the local authorities, and medical personnel are on site throughout the race days. All athletes race with an ankle-worn electronic timing chip and an official race cap. Cut-off times apply to the 3km and 5km (30 minutes after the first finisher in each distance and age category) and the 8km (45 minutes). After the finish, swimmers have access to a recovery area with water, juice and fruit, along with showers and toilets beside the venue.
Participants under 18 must be registered by a parent or legal guardian, who must also hand in a signed Parental Consent Form at bag pick-up.
Registration
Tickets for all distances are available at cyprusswimseries.com. The full race rules and course descriptions are in the official race manual, and the full timetable is in the event program.
About the Cyprus Swim Series
The Cyprus Swim Series is a series of open water swimming events held at coastal venues across Cyprus, offering athletes the chance to compete in a safe, well-organised environment while discovering the island's coastline. It is organised by I.E. Athletic Tourism (Cyprus) Ltd. The Pissouri 3rd Edition 2026 is an EU co-funded project, supported by the Republic of Cyprus, Cyprus Athletic Tourism and the Pissouri Community Council.
Media contact
Cyprus Swim Series
hello@cyprusswimseries.com
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