Over 600 swimmers from Malta and around the world will head to Għadira Bay next weekend as Malta hosts its first ever series of OCEANMAN races.

One of the world’s largest open-water swimming events, OCEANMAN races take place across the globe, from Argentina and Costa Rica to the Philippines and Thailand.

It has been brought to Malta by the Aquatic Sports Association of Malta (ASA) in collaboration with the Malta Tourism Authority.

ASA’s Bernard Farrugia, one of the figures behind bringing the event to Malta, described it as a “landmark moment for Maltese sport”.

“It not only provides local swimmers with the opportunity to compete against some of the best athletes in the world, but it also showcases Malta’s beautiful coastline and sporting potential on an international stage,” he said.

The journey towards bringing OCEANMAN to Malta began during a difficult period for the local open-water swimming community, following the unexpected closure of Birkirkara St Joseph’s open-water swimming section.

Internal discussions about securing the future of the sport eventually led to the birth of OCEANMAN Malta.

Several Maltese athletes are taking part, including Nicky Farrugia, Fabio Spiteri, and Sasha Gatt.

Unlike many traditional open-water races, all events will start, take place, and finish within Għadira Bay, making the event particularly spectator-friendly.

This means that families, friends, and sports enthusiasts can follow the action throughout the day from the Għadira shoreline.