Rules and regulations

1. GENERAL PROVISIONS

1.1. Competition name: Lithuanian Border: Vištytis Swimming Marathon

1.2. Date and place: 2025. August 9, Vištytis Lake, Vištytis, Vilkaviškis district. sav.

1.3. Event organizer:

„Sveika Suvalkija”
Company code:  306723445
info@swimltu.lt
ManagerBenas Mačiulaitis
+37063612239

1.4. Goals and objectives of the event:

• To create opportunities for people of various ages and social classes to compete while ensuring the safety of participants, to communicate and spend their free time meaningfully by promoting physical activity and a healthy lifestyle
• To popularize swimming in open water bodies
• To develop children and adults’ ability to behave carefully in and near open waters
• To commemorate the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Lithuanian Freedom Fighters;

2. EVENT PROGRAM

2.1. Date and place: 2025m. August 9d., Vištytis, Šileli poilsiaviete

2.2. Event schedule:

• 09:00 – 10:00 registration of competition participants
• 10:00 – 10:30 opening of the competition
• 10:30 – 11:00 transportation of marathon and 5 km. participants to the starting points
• 11:15 marathon course (10 km). participants start
• 11:30 5 km. participants start
• 11:45 2 km. participants start
• 13:00 individual relay participants start
• 13:25 pair relay participants start
• 15:30 Awards

2.3. Registration: pre-registration online by filling out the participant form and paying the participation fee.

2.4. Responsible persons:

• Organizer
• Chief judge
• Judges
• Competition judges
• Competition secretary
• Chief timekeeper and assistants
• Start judges
• Turn judges
• Chief finish judge and 2 assistants
• Relay judges
• Safety officer
• Medical officer
• Event host

2.4.1. Description of responsibilities is provided with ANNEX NO. 1

3. PARTICIPANTS AND REGISTRATION

3.1. Participants:

Everyone is invited to participate in the Vištytis Swimming Marathon, regardless of age, gender or place of residence. Participants are divided into separate groups according to distance, age and gender categories.

3.2. Age groups:

• Youth group: from 14-18 years.
• Adult group: 18-45 years.
• Veteran group from 46 years. and older

3.3. Distances:

• 10 km. (marathon)
• 5 km. (half marathon)
• 2 km.
• Individual relay: 500m. swimming + 3.1 km. trail running
• Pair relay: 1 km. swimming + 4.7 km. trail running

3.4. Registration:

• Only by filling out the participant registration form online
• By filling out the registration form, participants confirm that they participate in the competition voluntarily, assume full personal responsibility for their health and physical fitness, and confirm that there are no medical obstacles to participating in the selected distances.
• Participants under 18 years of age require written consent from their parents or guardians.

Click here to download the representative consent form

3.5. Participation fee:

• Marathon, 10 km.: €50,-
• Half-marathon, 5 km.: €35,-
• Joy kilometers, 2 km.: €20,-
• Individual relay: €30,-
• Pair relay: €60,-

4. COMPETITION PROCEDURE AND RULES

4.1. Start and finish:

• The competition will start from the official marked start point in Lake Vištytis.
• Different distances will have different start points.
• The finish is planned for everyone at the same, clearly marked place.

4.2. Start order:

• Participants are allowed to the distances in groups according to the length of the distance.
• Each group starts only after receiving a signal from the judge.

4.3. Rules:

• Participants must swim along the marked course.
• For the safety of each swimmer, it is recommended to use an individual buoy, especially in longer distances (2 km. and more). The organizer reserves the right to not allow a participant to swim without a buoy in difficult weather conditions (strong wind, large waves, low water temperature).
• The use of swim boards, fins, flippers, arm or leg floats and other auxiliary equipment is prohibited.
• Participants must wear swimming caps.
• The participant’s number must be visible to the judges throughout the swim.

Use of wetsuits:

• Water temperature up to 20°C – wetsuit mandatory
• Water temperature between 20°C and 24°C – wetsuit recommended
• Water temperature 24°C and above – wetsuit not recommended, especially for shorter distances.
• Wetsuits must be designed for swimming.

4.4 Safety:

• Participants will be accompanied in the water by safety boats, volunteers with kayaks and paddleboards.
• Participants who do not feel well or wish to withdraw from the competition must immediately notify the accompanying personnel.
• All participants must attend a safety briefing before the start.

4.5. Results recording:

• Results will be recorded electronically and manually by the judging team.
• Winners will be announced for each distance, age group and gender.
• All participants who complete the distance will receive a commemorative medal, and the winners will receive special prizes.

4.6. Disqualification. Participants may be disqualified for:

• violations of the rules
• deliberate crossing of the course boundaries
• sailing beyond the poles marking the Lithuanian border
• unfair behavior or disregard for safety.

4.7. Time limits. For each swimming and running distance, there are recommended maximum completion times, exceeding which a participant may be disqualified or removed from the course for safety reasons:

Swim distance:
10 km	4val. 20 min.
5 km	2 val. 10 min.
2 km	1 val. 15 min.
1 km	40 min.
500 m	20 mn.
Run distance:
3.1 km	45 min.
4.7 km	1 val. 15 min.

5. AWARDS

5.1. All participants who successfully complete their chosen distance will receive Vištytis Swimming Marathon commemorative medals.

5.2. The prize winners of each distance will be awarded with special, stylized awards.

5.3. Prize places are determined according to separate men’s and women’s classifications.

5.4. Special prizes will be awarded to the youngest and oldest marathon participants.

5.5. The organizers reserve the right to establish additional prizes or nominations.

5.6. The awards will take place at the end of the event at the time specified in the event program. All swimming and relay participants, volunteers, partners and spectators are invited to the ceremony.

6. SAFETY AND RESPONSIBILITY

6.1. The safety of participants during swimming is the highest priority of the competition. During the competition, participants will be accompanied by boats with lifeguards, the organizers will cooperate with the officers of the Pagegiai Border Team Vištytis Barrier and other responsible institutions.

6.2. The participant must be physically fit and able to overcome the selected distance independently. Participants assume full responsibility for their health and physical condition during the competition.

6.3. It is recommended to use an individual buoy, especially when swimming distances longer than 2 km. The organizers may require the use of a buoy in difficult weather or water conditions.

6.4. A participant who feels unwell or in danger must immediately signal (by raising his hand, whistling, in another form) to the accompanying lifeguards, judges or volunteers.

6.5. Participants must follow the instructions of the organizers before, during and after the swim. The organizers have the right to remove a participant from the start or course if there is a danger to his health or life.

6.6. For participants under the age of 18, their parents or guardians are responsible, who must sign a consent form before the competition.

7. FINAL PROVISIONS

7.1. Additional rules set out in the document “Swimming Borderline Rules” (Appendix No. 2) apply to participants in the competition.

7.2. The participant must familiarise himself with this document and, in accordance with the procedure specified therein, provide the organizers with personal data necessary for permission to swim in the border section.

7.3. Failure to comply with these rules may result in administrative liability and disqualification of the participant.

7.4. The competition regulations may be supplemented or amended by the organizers’ decision until the day of the event. All changes will be announced on the official competition information channels.

7.5. By registering for the competition, the participant confirms that he/she has read the competition regulations, understands the risks and undertakes to comply with them.

7.6. The event is public – photography and filming may be carried out during it. The participants agree that their image may be used for the purposes of publicizing the project.

7.7. All other issues not provided for in these regulations shall be decided by the competition organizers.