Make a splash this summer by participating in the only open-water swim of the Ohio River and back. Registration is now open for this year’s Bill Keating, Jr. Great Ohio River Swim, scheduled for Sunday, August 25.
The event raises money for Adventure Crew, a local nonprofit that connects local teens with nature and each other through outdoor adventures. Participants enter the Ohio River at the Serpentine Wall in downtown Cincinnati, then swim to the Kentucky side of the river and back (about 3,000 feet) while the river is closed to motorized traffic. Registration is now open on the event website.
“We’re thrilled to see the growing excitement around the Great Ohio River Swim, with recreational and competitive swimmers jumping at the chance to swim across the Ohio River and back in a safe environment,” said Miriam Wise, Adventure Crew’s Director of Support and Engagement. “This is a really fun way to raise funds for Adventure Crew’s mission: connecting urban teens to nature and each other.”
Swimmers who want to go further (literally) participate as “Double Dippers.” This small group of participants will complete a 2.5-mile swim downstream along the Ohio River shoreline before joining the traditional 900-meter course participants. (Registration for this year's Double Dip is now full.)
The swim is named for Bill Keating, Jr., one of the first swimmers to enter the inaugural event in 2007. (That first year, he won the men's swim, but lost the overall title to his daughter, Caroline Keating, who is now the event's chairwoman.) He continued to support the event until he lost his battle with brain cancer in 2017.
“I started swimming in the first Great Ohio River Swim alongside my dad, and it quickly became an annual tradition,” said Caroline Keating. “He had a deep passion for swimming, our city and empowering youth. The Bill Keating Jr. Great Ohio River Swim embodies his spirit and continues his legacy. It’s a joyful celebration of the Ohio River while supporting Adventure Crew’s mission, instilling a sense of adventure and confidence in our city’s teens.”
“What is truly remarkable is how the River Swim has allowed Adventure Crew to establish a swimming program, teaching local teens the invaluable skill of swimming and fostering the dream of becoming lifeguards at our local pools,” she added. “I am sure my father would be extremely proud of the outstanding work accomplished by the entire Great Ohio River Swim and Adventure Crew team.”
On the day of the event, registration opens at 7 a.m., with mandatory open water safety briefings at 8 a.m. and an 8:15 a.m. start. Double divers must be present at 6:15 a.m. to complete their 2.5-mile swim before heading to the 900-meter course. Registration for the event is limited to 250 participants.
If river conditions are not cooperative, the event will be postponed to Sunday, September 8.
Adventure Crew connects Cincinnati teens with nature and each other through outdoor adventures. Founded in 2013, the nonprofit now serves all Cincinnati public high schools, seventh- and eighth-graders at select CPS elementary schools, and six schools in Northern Kentucky—a total of 27 schools and nearly 1,000 students annually.
Through monthly, challenging adventures, the city’s teens develop the courageous spirit needed to step outside their comfort zones and discover new worlds—outside, in nature, and within themselves. This deep connection with nature will set a positive direction for their lives—and help create the next generation of environmental stewards. For more information, visit www.adventurecrew.org.
