Midmar Mile

About the Midmar Mile

The Midmar Mile held at the Midmar Dam north of Pietermaritzburg in KwaZulu Natal. The Midmar Mile is the world's largest open water swimming event. The Midmar Mile draws thousands of competitors each year, both serious international athletes and Olympic medallists to recreational swimmers.

The Midmar Mile swim gains its name from it's location (the Midmar Dam) and it's distance (+/- one mile). A unique feature of the race is that while the distance covered is always a mile, depending on rainfall and the water levels in the dam, the distance swum varies from year to year. In years with poor rainfall, competitors are subject to the infamous Midmar sprint start: a bedlam of bodies sprinting across the muddy lake-shore and through the shallows until the water is deep enough to swim.

In order to handle the vast number of competitors, the swimmers swim out in several groups at two-minute intervals in 8 batches over two days; the group division is based on a qualifying time in a previous event, with the fastest group leaving first.

To avoid disappointment it is advisable to book your accommodation well in advance for this event. Visit the Howick Accommodation pages to find guest houses, hotels and self catering places to stay and for additional info about Howick which includes attractions, restaurants and things to do, see Howick Info.