The Flow des Gabarriers consists of 4 open water courses in the Charente River:

The event takes place on Saturday 14 June 2025:

Registration opens on 1 December 2024 on the dedicated page of the website.

Registration is possible on the day of the event only for the Petit Gabarrier 1 km and the Défi du Flow 3 km, subject to availability (no registration possible for marathons after midnight on 24 May 2025).

The following rates apply from the opening of registration:

All registrations are final. The participant will only be entitled to a refund of the registration fee if they have signed up to cancellation insurance at the time of registration. The cost of the insurance is 10% of the standard registration fee.

The cancellation guarantee is valid until 1 month before the event, i.e. midnight on 14 May 2025:

The cancellation insurance does not include:

In the event of cancellation of the event for reasons of force majeure or ANY other reason beyond the control of the organisers after 15 May 2025, participants will be offered a 50% discount on registration for the following year.

It is possible to tranfer a registration to someone else via your Timepulse account, just click on the "Céder mon dossard" and follow the prompts.

The organisers reserve the right to change the start time, the duration of the competition, or the route due to weather conditions, as well as to change or modify the rules according to their own judgement.

To take part in the Flow Des Gabarriers events, you must provide a medical certificate issued less than a year before the event (dated no later than 15 June 2024) certifying that you are in good condition and able to take part in the desired distance. Sports licences are not acceptedHowever, it is possible to use the medical certificate used for your licence if it is dated no later than 15 June 2024.

- All swimmers must be over 12 years of age on the day of the event in order to participate in the Petit Gabarrier and Flow Challenge.
- All swimmers and their kayakists must be over 16 years of age on the day of the event in order to participate in the Flow des Gabarriers and the Gabarrier Apprentice marathons.

For swimmers under the age of 16, the father, mother or legal guardian must complete the parental authorisation form. Otherwise, the swimmer will not be able to take part in the event.

A qualifying swim is required for solo and duo (relay) swimmers:
- Proof of a maximum time of 4 hours for a minimum of 10km in open water in the 2 years prior to the event
or
- Proof of a maximum time of 3h45 for a minimum of 10km in a pool (25m or 50m) in the 2 years prior to the event
the event
or
- Proof of solo completion of an Oceans Seven swim in the last 5 years (North Channel, Cook Strait, Moloka'i Channel, English Channel, Catalina Channel, Tsugura Strait, Strait of Gibraltar).

Official crossing certificates or results listed on https://longswims.com/ are preferred. If these are not available, performances recorded in tracking tools such as Garmin watches etc. can be accepted instead.

Confirmation of the qualifying swim must be uploaded to your Timepulse account no later than 13 June 2025.
There is no qualifying swim to be provided for swimmers in teams of 3 or more.

Note that finishers solo competitors in the Flow by Night 2024 are automatically qualified for the 33km solo and duo events, as well as the 16km solo.

The event ends at 6pm. All swimmers who have not reached the finish line by this time, regardless of the chosen course, must leave the water.

Wearing a neoprene wetsuit is allowed and strongly recommended, however it is not permitted if the water temperature is above 24°C.
Experienced swimmers used to open water who do not wish to wear a wetsuit in cold water will be contacted by the organisers for evaluation and approval.
Fluorescent swimming buoys are recommended (not provided by the organisers).

All propulsion aids such as fins, snorkels, pull buoys, etc. are strictly forbidden.

The pre race briefing will be held on Friday 13 June at 5.30pm at the Cognac Galaxy cinema 1 rue de la Belle Allée, 16100 Châteaubernard

- All the soloists taking part in the Flow des Gabarriers 33 km and the Apprentice Gabarrier 16 km and their kayakers.

- At least one member of each relay team as well as one of the team's kayakers

Check-in of the swimmers will take place during this meeting, as well as distribution of swimming caps, T-shirts etc.
The final logistical information will also be discussed and explained in detail. It will be an opportunity to ask questions!

The event ends at 6pm, all swimmers who have not reached Cognac must leave the water, as the organisers cannot ensure their safety after this time.

Each swimmer (solos and teams) must be followed throughout the race by a canoe. This support has several essential functions, including immediate safety in case of emergency,

Tandem solos are accompanied by only 1 kayak for the 2 swimmers, they must swim together, at the same pace, throughout the completion of the course. If one of the two swimmers gives up, the other swimmer will only be able to continue the course once his co-swimmer is being looked after by their team or the organizers.

Each kayaker MUST wear a life jacket. Support boats are not allowed.
Any swimmer who abandons the race must inform the organisers as soon as possible. Swimmers agree to accept the instructions of the on-site doctors and consent to receive medical attention in case of injury, accident, hypothermia or illness during the event. It is the responsibility of each swimmer to cover the medical costs or to take out additional insurance for this purpose.

It is forbidden for any swimmer to use drugs, stimulants, excitants or derivatives and other artificial means before and during the marathon. Between the time of the start and the end of the marathon, swimmers must follow the route laid down by the organisers.

During the competition, each swimmer will be responsible for his or her own nutrition. The time limit for completing the 33 km distance is 10:00 for solos and 9:40 for relays. The time limit for completing the 16 km solo distance is 7:00.

Before or after the time limit, the organisers (medical, security, etc.), reserve the right to stop the swimmer during the marathon in their own interest.
It is the responsibility of the swimmer to train properly before the event and to organise logistical support for the duration of their swim.

The maximum number of swimmers allowed per relay team is 6 (each member of a team of 6 will spend a maximum of 1h30 in the water over the whole day).

The logistics and organisation of the relays are specific to each team. There is no pre-established relay point. Swimmer exchange can be done in the water or from the shore.

From the water: the new swimmer must position themself in front of the previous swimmer. The previous swimmer must touch the new swimmer’s feet before returning to the canoe or the shore. There is no minimum time or distance imposed for each swimmer.

From land: the banks of the Charente River offer many points where an exchange can take place. However, the compulsory water exit points offer very good options. It is recommended that each team scout the area beforehand if possible.

Each swimmer is responsible for their own nutrition.

Refreshments will be available at the Gademoulin lock and at the finish. Drinks, biscuits, fruit, etc. will be available.

No canoe, kayak, paddle or other embarkation will be authorized to escort swimmers.

Only boats designed by the organisers to ensure safety are allowed on the water.

Courses will be clearly indicated thanks to buoys along the 2 courses.

Swimmers agree to participate in any media activity consisting of interviews for newspapers, radio, television, presentation of the swimmers, etc... By registering, the participant authorises the organisers of the Flow Des Gabarriers to use the images in which they could be identified for the purpose of promotional and publicity broadcasts, with no time limitation. If the participant does not agree, they must inform the organisers in writing. In accordance with the French law of 6 January 1978 on Information Technology and Freedom, each participant has the right to access and rectify any of their personal data.

In accordance with Article 11 of the Municipal Order n° M-2015.66.6.1, the swimmer will take all measures not to degrade the environment in which they find themself

The event takes place in the natural environment of the Charente river. Swimmers must not, under any circumstances, throw waste or any other items into the Charente or on its banks. Any disposal of waste outside the bins provided for this purpose is prohibited.

The organisers and competitors undertake together to respect and preserve this space. No littering will be tolerated. Competitors who take their supplies with them under their wetsuit or swimsuit, particularly in the form of gel or wrapped bars, must bring the packaging ashore and deposit it in the bins provided for this purpose. Any competitor caught littering will be immediately ordered to leave the water.

Each participant undertakes to respect the environment and to behave in the most eco-responsible way.

The organisers have taken out a liability insurance policy in case of organisational failure. The participant declares that they are aware of the fact that they may encounter difficulties on the course and that they assume the risks related to these circumstances when participating in the event. The participant agrees to receive any medical care and treatment that may be necessary during the competition.

The costs of medical treatment are not included in the entry fee and will be borne by the participant. It is the responsibility of the participant, whether or not they are a licence holder to take out any necessary or useful personal insurance (civil liability and personal accident insurance) covering in particular the cost of any medical treatment. The organisers decline all responsibility in case of accidents, damage, theft or loss of equipment and/or personal belongings of the competitors, including the teams' belongings stored in the finishers’ village.

Swimmers, coaches and any other accompanying persons will be responsible for their own accommodation, transport and other expenses. The Cognac region offers a multitude of accommodation options, Destination Cognac and Charente Tourisme will be able to guide you if necessary. The towpath linking the Place du Solençon to the RN141 bridge allows you to follow the swimmers on foot along the route. It is possible to meet the marathoners on the banks of the Charente from Châteauneuf-sur-Charente via "La Flow Vélo".

Each participant will show respect for the other competitors, the organisers, the spectators and the people living in the race area. Participants must provide assistance within the limits of their abilities and/or report a participant in difficulty to the organisers, even if this means going off course or losing time. Participants in the Flow Des Gabarriers (swimmers, coaches, logistical support) commit themselves to respect all the rules of the event as stated above.

Any contravention of these competition rules may result in disqualification, as decided by the organisers. Any behaviour contrary to sporting ethics will be sanctioned by various penalties, which may include a ban on participation. The Flow Des Gabarriers commits itself to apply the governmental sanitary regulations at the date of the event.