FAQ

The entry fee for the 2026 Albania to Corfu Swim is €250 per swimmer.

The fee includes event participation, transport connected with the swim, the mandatory pre-swim medical check, professional safety support, an official Go Overboard swimmer kit and refreshments at the finish.

All registration fees contribute towards staging the event and supporting Go Overboard’s charitable work.

Registration fees are treated as charitable contributions and are non-refundable under normal circumstances. This includes illness, injury, cancelled or delayed travel, a change of plans, failure to provide the required documentation, or failure to attend the mandatory medical check.

If the event doctor determines during the official medical check that you are medically unfit to participate, you may contact hello@go-overboard.org to request a case-by-case review. A refund is not guaranteed.

If the event cannot proceed because of weather conditions, political circumstances or another safety-related issue, registration fees will not normally be refunded. Where possible, Go Overboard will consider an alternative route, rescheduling, entry to a future swim or another appropriate solution.

The mandatory medical check will take place on:

Friday 11 September 2026
12:00–18:00
Barbati Beach, Corfu
Exact location to be confirmed

All registered swimmers must attend the medical check in person.

You will not be able to take part in the swim if you miss the medical check or if the attending medical team determines that you are not fit to participate.

Please allow sufficient time to complete the check and do not leave your arrival until the end of the session.

If you have any pre-existing medical condition, please contact us on hello@go-overboard.org as a paper from your GP might be needed.

The swim will take place on the morning of Saturday 12 September 2026.

The whole group will depart on a hydrofoil from Corfu International Port in the morning, around 7am. The precise meeting time, departure point and transport arrangements are currently being finalised. Full instructions will be emailed to registered swimmers before the event. 

Please keep the morning and early afternoon available and avoid making arrangements that depend on a precise finishing time.

The planned route is a coast-to-coast open-water swim of approximately 3km between Albania (Ksamil) and Corfu (Agios Stefanos), across the Ionian Channel.

The precise starting and finishing points remain subject to confirmation from the relevant authorities, Coast Guards and safety team.

The route may also be adjusted before or during the event because of weather, sea conditions, permissions or other safety considerations.

Swimmers will be able to bring a small bag containing essential personal belongings.

Arrangements will be made to transport swimmers’ bags securely from the departure point to the finish. Full instructions, including any bag-size or labelling requirements, will be shared before the event.

Please do not bring valuables unless absolutely necessary. Go Overboard cannot accept responsibility for lost, damaged or stolen belongings.

Every swimmer should bring:

• A valid passport
• Proof of the required insurance
• Swimwear
• Goggles
• Sun protection
• A towel and dry clothes
• Any personal medication you may require

Albania is not a member of the European Union, so all swimmers must carry a valid passport suitable for entry into Albania and return to Greece.

Please check the relevant passport and visa requirements for your nationality well before travelling. It is each swimmer’s responsibility to ensure they have the correct travel documents.

Yes. Every swimmer must have valid personal insurance covering:

• Open-water swimming
• Medical treatment and personal accident
• Travel for the duration of the event weekend

Go Overboard does not provide personal accident, medical, liability or travel insurance for participants.

All swimmers will be required to provide proof of appropriate insurance before taking part. Instructions explaining how and when to submit your insurance documentation will be sent to registered swimmers before the event.

Anyone who cannot provide satisfactory evidence of insurance will not be permitted to participate.

The water around Corfu is usually warm in September, so wetsuits are generally unnecessary. However, water temperature, wind, currents and visibility can vary.

The event team will aim to begin the swim early, when sea conditions are generally calmer and there is less marine traffic.

Safety always comes first.

If weather or sea conditions make the planned channel crossing unsafe, the swim director, Coast Guards and safety team may:

• Change the starting or finishing point
• Shorten or otherwise adjust the route
• Move the swim to a more sheltered location
• Delay or reschedule the swim
• Cancel the event

In 2022, strong winds led to an alternative 2.5km swim through the Butrint Channel to Ali Pasha’s Castle. In 2024, the event followed an alternative route along the Corfu coastline.

We cannot control the weather, but we will do everything reasonably possible to provide a safe and rewarding swim.

The swim is supported by professional lifeguards, medical personnel, escort boats and event volunteers. We also work with the relevant Greek and Albanian authorities and Coast Guards.

Go Overboard provides tow floats and day-of medical and safety support.

Participants must:

• Follow all instructions from the swim director, medical team, lifeguards, boat crews and event staff
• Swim within their designated group
• Maintain the pace set by the safety team
• Avoid racing or overtaking
• Inform the team immediately if they are struggling or feel unwell
• Enter a safety boat when instructed to do so

Although the swim may be timed for operational purposes, it is not a race.

Any swimmer who disregards safety instructions or behaves in a way that puts themselves or others at risk may be removed from the event.

Yes. Tow floats will be provided as part of the event’s safety arrangements.

Swimmers must use the safety equipment supplied or approved by the Go Overboard team and follow all instructions regarding its use.

Yes. The Albania to Corfu crossing is approximately 3km in open water and requires appropriate preparation.

All swimmers must be in good physical condition and comfortable swimming the full distance in open water. Pool fitness alone may not prepare you for waves, currents, limited visibility and swimming within a large group.

We strongly recommend completing regular open-water training before the event.

Passing the medical check does not replace your responsibility to train adequately and honestly assess your swimming ability.

Refreshments will be available at the finish, and swimmers are encouraged to stay and welcome the remaining participants as they arrive. Agios Stefanos has plenty of tavernas and bars that will gladly welcome all the swimmers, friends and family – we highly recommend to stay in the village and celebrate the day with us.

Because the route and conditions can change, please do not make time-sensitive plans immediately after the swim.

Many swimmers choose to stay in Corfu Town, Barbati, Gouvia or the northeast of Corfu.

Staying in or near Barbati may be particularly convenient for attending the medical check on Friday 11 September.

Hotels in Gouvia

Kontokali Bay Spa & Resort

The Rodostamo

The Imperial

Hotels in Corfu Town

The Town House

Cavalieri Hotel

Need more space?
‍For families and larger groups – Villa Collective can help source a villa for the swim weekend.

For qualifying properties booked for the swim week, 10% of the rental fee will be donated to Go Overboard’s charitable work.