Swimming Membership

Welcome to ATC Swimming!

ATC Swimming is a club made of swimmers and triathletes who enjoy swimming in an encouraging and friendly environment.  We do pool-based as well as open water swimming.  We partake in all the open water events, local provincial galas and the two annual national galas (split into Short Course and Long Course).  ATC Swimming is fully affiliated to WP Aquatics, SAMS, SSA and FINA.

Our swimmers primarily participate in the open water events around Cape Town and surrounding areas, but we also have active and competitive Masters swimmers in the club who participate in the Gala circuit.  

You can join ATC Swimming as an individual club if you only want to participate in the canal swim or Masters’ Galas.  If you do more than one sport and join ATC Multisport, ATC Swimming membership will be included in the Multisport Membership.  You can affiliate to the governing bodies through your ATC Swimming or ATC Multisport Membership.

Living in or visiting Cape Town and want to swim? Looking for a team? Contact us; we’d love to meet you.

Join NowRenew Membership

With qualified and experienced coaches our swimmers train in pools located throughout Cape Town.  We welcome swimmers of all abilities and levels and encourage everyone to challenge themselves to achieve their goals in the water.  Coached sessions are offered in the mornings or any other time of the day that suits you.  Just note that our coached squad sessions are charged for separately and is not included in the Club Membership fee.

We have something special that no other club has!  The Canal swim at the V&A waterfront. There is always a large contingent of swimmers from across the greater club present.  Trust us it is an amazing experience, bring your wetsuit.  These swims take place on a Friday morning during summer (Oct - Apr) and Saturday afternoons during winter (May - Sept).  

Our weekly training plan is published on this website on the Training page.  Please visit this page to see details for this week.

Open Water Swim Training

Open water swimming, whether in a dam or the sea, can be terrifying, especially if you are a triathlon newbie.  So to get you used to swimming in open water, we do regular training sessions all year round.  The main aim of these training sessions is to gain experience in open water swimming, in a wetsuit, with other swimmers around you.  Even though there won’t be any formal training, there are always experienced swimmers to lend a hand and give advice, so come down and join us.  This is also a great opportunity to meet new people and enjoy the stunning scenery at one of the following locations around the Peninsula:

  • V & A Waterfront Canal – Most Friday mornings in summer and Friday afternoons in winter.
  • Clifton 4th Beach – Ad-hoc sessions during the weekend in summer. 
  • Silvermine Dam – Ad-hoc sessions during the weekend in summer. 

What to bring along:

  • ATC Multisport or a brightly coloured swimming cap (ATC cap compulsory for V&A Canal swim)
  • Goggles
  • Wetsuit (optional, but recommended)
  • Costume / tri-suit for under your wetsuit
  • Towel and change of clothes – warm clothes recommended to warm up after sea / canal swim.
  • Sunscreen


V & A Waterfront Canal Swim
ATC has been granted permission to use the canals at the V&A Waterfront to do our open water swims.  The canals are CLEAN, SAFE and SHARK FREE!  The water is as cold as the open sea so please bring your wetsuits with. The canals wind from the CCTCC right though the residential area and to the One and Only Hotel, perfect for open water practice! The canal is at no point deeper than 3m and on average is about 1.5m deep.
We meet at the jetty next to the SUP Cape Town shop, which is located at the new Urban Park in Battery Park.  We swim towards the One and Only Hotel.  There are stairs to exit the canal at regular intervals, so you can climb out when you have had enough.  It’s roughly 1km to the hotel from the parking lot. Those enjoying the swim can swim around the One and Only Island, and back. Alternatively you can get out at the turn around point and jog back to the car park.
Please do not swim in this canal at other times as we are only allowed to swim there by prior arrangement.