Cole Classic, live.

Manly's ocean swim, 1, 2 or 5 km

The Cole Classic is an ocean swim at Manly in Sydney, with three distances on one Sunday morning in February.

In 2027 the Cole Classic marks its 45th year. Race day is Sunday 7 February 2027, with race pack collection on Saturday 6 February from 2 to 4pm in the marquee in front of Manly Life Saving Club. Race HQ is at Manly, and the age group races start at Shelly Beach, so swimmers should allow time to get there.

There are three swims. The 5 km starts first, with the elite wave at 7:30am and age groups from 7:35am. The 1 km follows at 8:00am and the 2 km at 10:30am. Starts are rolling, with the elite waves gun started, and each distance has a back of the pack wave for swimmers using swimming aids or who would rather swim after the faster age groups.

The 5 km has cut-offs at 3 km after 90 minutes, 4 km after 120 minutes and the finish after 150 minutes. The 1 km and 2 km courses are cleared two hours after their start. Wetsuits are only allowed in the back of the pack categories, and wearing one means a swimmer cannot claim a place or prize.

Swimmers must be at least 9 years old for the 1 km, 12 for the 2 km and 15 for the 5 km. Entering the 5 km means being able to swim it in open water in under 150 minutes, and anyone who swam the 5 km in the last two years qualifies automatically. The Surfrider bag drop next to Manly Life Saving Club opens at 6:30am, and its proceeds go to Surfrider Foundation Australia.

On Livebib you can follow a swimmer who chooses to share their own live position from the phone they carry. This is not the organiser's timing, and the official results come from the Cole Classic.