Mission
To establish credible, transparent and internationally aligned standards for ratifying marathon swims across Africa, while preserving the continent’s swimming history and encouraging future generations of marathon swimmers.
An independent home for the record of African marathon swimming.
The African Marathon Swimming Association is an independent, nonprofit voluntary association being established in South Africa, with a mandate that covers the whole continent.
At a glance
- Status
- Founding phase
- Legal form
- Nonprofit voluntary association
- Based in
- Cape Town, South Africa
- Mandate
- Continent-wide
- Nature
- Independent ratifying body, not a racing federation
Mission and objectives
Vision
To become the definitive independent resource for African marathon-swimming routes, records, achievements and historical information.
Objectives
- 1 Independently ratify marathon swims in African waters
- 2 Document significant routes and crossings
- 3 Preserve historical swimming records
- 4 Encourage the development of marathon swimming across Africa
AMSA is not a competitive swimming federation and does not claim authority over organised open-water racing.
Our tagline: Documenting Africa’s swims. Recognising its swimmers. Preserving its history.
A continent of crossings deserves a common standard.
AMSA is being established to give swimmers anywhere in Africa access to the same published rules, the same independent observation and the same transparent review, and to make sure the continent’s swimming history is researched carefully rather than lost.
AMSA is not intended to compete with established international organisations, and it is not a competitive swimming federation. It is built to operate independently, and to work alongside others where that serves swimmers and the integrity of the record.
Consistent, published standards
Formally versioned swimming rules, informed by established international practice, applied equally across the continent.
Independent verification
Swims observed independently and assessed by independent reviewers, with conflicts of interest declared and managed.
A preserved history
Historical swims researched and classified honestly, separating verified evidence from unverified claims.
Records that stay comparable
Traditional Skins and Assisted swims recorded separately, so that swims completed under different rules are never presented as directly comparable.
The founding story
“Africa has a rich and remarkable history of marathon swimming, yet many extraordinary achievements remain undocumented, unverified or largely unknown. I founded the African Marathon Swimming Association (AMSA) to help change that.
As a marathon swimmer myself, I believe every significant swim deserves the opportunity to be independently verified, properly recorded and recognised. AMSA was created to establish credible, accessible ratification standards across the continent, preserve our swimming history and inspire future generations to explore new waters and push beyond established boundaries.”
Our core philosophy
Seven principles that AMSA’s constitution and policies are intended to reflect, and the test against which our rules and decisions should be judged.
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1
Independence
Ratification decisions are made free from commercial, personal or organisational influence.
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2
Credibility
Every recognition rests on evidence that can be examined.
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3
Transparency
Rules, policies and the basis for decisions are published and open to scrutiny.
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4
Accessibility
Standards, records and processes are open to swimmers from every African country.
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5
Minimal bureaucracy
Only the administration a credible record needs, and no more.
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6
Technology-driven administration
Registration, observation, evidence and review handled digitally, so that volunteers spend their time on judgement, not paperwork.
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7
Promotion of marathon swimming across Africa
New swims, new routes and new swimmers encouraged in every part of the continent.
Based in South Africa. Built for the whole continent.
AMSA’s mandate covers every African country from the start. Its primary ratification mandate is solo marathon swims of 10 km or longer. When applications open, they will be accepted from anywhere in Africa, under the same published standards, independent observation, evidence requirements and safety and local legal requirements.
Initial focus
From the start- Solo marathon swims of 10 km or longer
- Two swimwear categories: Traditional Skins and Assisted, recorded separately
- Significant routes and crossings, established and new
- Historical swim documentation
- Public, verified records
- Observer approval, and accreditation in time
Possible future categories
Not yet offered- AMSA Recognised Crossing: a separate designation for shorter, geographically significant crossings (provisional)
- Relay swims
- Stage swims
- Expedition swims
- Other exceptional open-water swimming achievements
Each category will remain clearly differentiated. Swims completed under different rules will never be presented as directly comparable records, and a Recognised Crossing is never a ratified marathon swim. Swim categories.
Collaboration is an opportunity, not a prerequisite.
We welcome collaboration with organisations such as the Marathon Swimmers Federation (MSF), the World Open Water Swimming Association (WOWSA), national marathon-swimming associations and other relevant bodies.
AMSA is designed to operate independently and does not depend on any other organisation’s approval to do so. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or accredited by any of these organisations, and will say so plainly unless and until a formal arrangement is in place.
AMSA will draft and adopt its own rules. They will be informed by established international practice, with appropriate acknowledgement, rather than copied from another organisation’s documents.
How AMSA is intended to be governed
A committee runs the association. Decisions on individual swims sit with independent reviewers appointed by the committee, never with the committee itself. None of this is in force until the founding members adopt the Constitution.
Proposed, not adopted Governance and policies in full →The Committee
A Founding Chairperson and a Vice-Chairperson for Swimming Operations are confirmed. The final composition, voting arrangements and administrative positions are under discussion.
Ratification reviewers
Two non-conflicted reviewers must agree on each swim. Disagreement or exceptional cases go to a fresh three-person panel, and appeals to people not involved in the decision.
Country representatives
Representatives from African countries, to be appointed as the network grows. None has yet been appointed.
Conflicts of interest and recusal
Ratification must be independent of the swimmer. Founders and office-bearers may themselves be active marathon swimmers. Any of them may submit a swim for ratification, but must never take part in reviewing or approving their own swim. Every reviewer will declare conflicts of interest and step aside from any swim in which they have an interest, and those declarations and recusals will be recorded.
Leadership
Confirmed- Carina Bruwer, Founding Chairperson
- Derrick Frazer, Vice-Chairperson, Swimming Operations
- Further committee members: being invited, to be announced
The committee is not yet fully constituted. New members are named only once confirmed.
Technical adviser
Dave Welensky, Technical Adviser, Swim Ops
Not a committee member and has no committee vote. Owns and operates Swim Ops independently, and takes no part in Swim Ops commercial decisions or ratification outcomes. More.
Independent reviewers
None appointed yet.
Reviewers will be bound by the conflict-of-interest policy from the day they are appointed.
Exactly where we stand
We would rather be precise than impressive. This statement will be updated as each step is completed.
Publishing a constitution does not by itself make AMSA a registered nonprofit organisation.
- Legal form
- Independent, nonprofit voluntary association, being established in South Africa.
- Constitution
- Being revised to reflect the October 2026 decisions. Not adopted.
- Founding resolutions
- Being revised. No founding meeting has been held.
- Committee
- Not yet fully constituted.
- NPO registration
- Not yet registered. We intend to apply for registration as a nonprofit organisation once the Constitution is adopted.
- Affiliations
- None. AMSA is not affiliated with, endorsed by or accredited by any other organisation.
- Ratification
- Applications opening soon, once governance and rules are adopted and independent reviewers are appointed. Intended to be free of charge.
- Address
- 18 Bond Street, Cape Town, 8001, South Africa
Optional membership
Under discussionMembership is optional and is never required for ratification. Every swim is assessed against the same published standards, whether or not the swimmer is a member.
AMSA intends to stay lean, building around its records rather than membership administration, and to run any membership it offers online and automatically. Whether AMSA offers membership, and on what terms, is still under discussion. No membership fee has been decided.
Membership is not open and no payments are taken. To hear when it opens, get in touch.
The documents that will govern AMSA
None has yet been adopted or legally approved. The Constitution and founding resolutions are being revised; the rest are in preparation.
Document register →-
Being revised
Constitution
Name and status, objects, membership, general meetings, the committee, independence and ratification, conflicts of interest, finance, records, amendments and dissolution.
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Being revised
Founding meeting minutes and resolutions
The resolutions that would establish AMSA, adopt the Constitution, record the founding office-bearers and authorise NPO registration and banking.
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In preparation
Operating policy
How AMSA runs as a lean, online organisation: free ratification, digital registration and evidence, automated administration and the Swim Ops safeguards.
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In preparation
Marathon swimming rules
The formally versioned AMSA ruleset: the Traditional Skins and Assisted categories, assistance, feeding, escort vessels, start and finish, timing and evidence.
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In preparation
Ratification policy
Eligibility, registration, evidence and observer requirements, independent review, decisions, appeals, publication and the separate AMSA Recognised Crossing designation.
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In preparation
Observer code of conduct
Independence, duties, professional standards and reporting obligations for observers.
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In preparation
Conflict-of-interest policy
How office-bearers, advisers, reviewers and observers declare interests and step aside.
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In preparation
Historical records policy
How AMSA researches, classifies and publishes swims that took place before it existed.
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In preparation
Membership policy
Whether and how AMSA offers membership, and how it is administered. Membership is never a condition of ratification.
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In preparation
Privacy policy
How AMSA collects, stores, uses and protects personal information, in line with POPIA.
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In preparation
Website terms of use
The terms that apply to using this website and its content.
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In preparation
Safety and liability policy
The limits of AMSA’s role, and the responsibilities that stay with swimmers, escorts and organisers.