Get ready to make a splash, The Bill Keating, Jr. Great Ohio River Swim, presented by TriHealth, returns to the riverfront Sunday, August 29.
A fundraiser for Adventure Crew, the event is the only open water swim to travel across the Ohio River and back. Participants take the plunge at the Public Landing in Downtown Cincinnati, then swim to the Kentucky side of the river and back (a distance of approximately one-half mile) while the river is closed to motorized traffic. Registration for the event is now open at www.greatohioriverswim.com.
New this year, “Double Dippers” can take a 2.5-mile swim downstream along the Ohio shoreline before joining participants in the traditional 900-meter course. Double Dippers commit to raising $500 for Adventure Crew’s Swim Training Program, which provides urban youth with access to high-quality swim lessons, water safety instruction and lifeguard certification. Anyone interested in participating as a Double Dipper should email bkjgreatohioriverswim@gmail.com.
(Photo from Adventure Crew)
“We added this new facet of the event after so many people expressed interest in Caroline Keating’s 5K on the Ohio River last year,” said Miriam Wise, Adventure Crew’s associate director. “It’s a great opportunity for strong swimmers looking to complete an open water challenge while also making a positive impact on the lives of local teens.”
After last year’s Swim was canceled because of COVID-19, Keating swam a 5K on the Ohio River and raised more than $10,000 for Adventure Crew in the process. The Swim is named for Keating’s late father, Bill Keating, Jr., one of the first swimmers to sign up for the inaugural event in 2007. The first year, Bill Keating won the men’s swim but lost the overall title to Caroline. He continued to be a huge supporter of the event until he lost his battle with brain cancer in 2017.
On the day of the event, on-site registration opens at 7 a.m., with mandatory open water safety instructions at 8 a.m. and an 8:15 a.m. start. Double Dippers will complete their 2.5-mile swim before joining the 900-meter course.
If river conditions are uncooperative, the event will be rescheduled for Sunday, September 19.
Wise said she’s excited to see some 200 swimmers get back on the Ohio River in support of Adventure Crew’s swim program.
“Swimming is an important life skill, and a lifesaving one, too,” she said. “While there are great swim traditions in our city, there is limited access to instruction in the communities Adventure Crew serves. The Bill Keating, Jr. Great Ohio River Swim raises critical funds to help broaden that access to all.”
Adventure Crew is a 501(c)3 organization dedicated to connecting city teens in Greater Cincinnati with nature through engaging recreation, education and conservation activities. Founded in 2013, the nonprofit now serves all Cincinnati Public Schools high schools, seventh and eighth graders in select CPS elementary schools, and five schools in Northern Kentucky – a total of 24 schools and nearly 1,000 students.
Through challenging monthly adventures, city teens develop the courageous spirit to step out of their comfort zone and discover new worlds – outside in nature and inside themselves. This deep connection to nature will set a positive course for their lives – and help create the next generation of environmental stewards. For more information, visit www.adventurecrew.org.
From Adventure Crew
