Make a splash this summer by joining the only open water swim across the Ohio River and back. Registration for this year’s Bill Keating, Jr. Great Ohio River Swim, set for Sunday, August 25, is now open.
The event is a fundraiser for Adventure Crew, a local nonprofit that connects city 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 (approximately 900 meters) while the river is closed to motorized traffic. Registration is open on the event website.
“We love seeing the growing excitement around the Great Ohio River Swim, with both recreational and competitive swimmers jumping at the chance to swim across the Ohio River and back in a safe setting,” said Miriam Wise, Adventure Crew’s director of support and engagement. “It’s such a fun way to raise funds for Adventure Crew’s mission: Connecting city teens with nature and each other.”
Swimmers who want to go the extra miles (literally) participate as “Double Dippers.” This small group of participants will take a 2.5-mile swim downstream along the Ohio shoreline before joining participants in the traditional 900-meter course. (Registration for this year’s Double Dip is now full.)
The Swim is named for Bill Keating, Jr., one of the first swimmers to sign up for 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 now serves as the event chair.) He continued to be a huge supporter of the event until he lost his battle with brain cancer in 2017.
“I started swimming in the inaugural Great Ohio River Swim alongside my father, and it soon became an annual tradition,” Caroline Keating said. “He was deeply passionate about swimming, our city and empowering youth. The Bill Keating Jr. Great Ohio River Swim embodies his spirit, carrying forward his legacy. It’s a joyful celebration of the Ohio River while also supporting Adventure Crew’s mission, instilling a sense of adventure in city teens and nurturing their confidence.
“What’s truly remarkable is how the river swim has enabled Adventure Crew to establish a swim program, teaching city teens the invaluable skill of swimming and fostering dreams of becoming lifeguards at our city pools,” she added. “I have no doubt that my father would be immensely proud of the remarkable work being done by the entire Great Ohio River Swim team and Adventure Crew.”
On the day of the event, check-in opens at 7 a.m., with mandatory open water safety instructions at 8 a.m. and an 8:15 a.m. start. Double Dippers must be present by 6:15 a.m. to complete their 2.5-mile swim before joining the 900-meter course. Event registration is limited to 250 participants.
If river conditions are uncooperative, the event will be rescheduled for Sunday, September 8.
Adventure Crew connects city teens in Greater Cincinnati with nature and each other through outdoor adventures. Founded in 2013, the nonprofit now serves all Cincinnati Public Schools high schools, seventh and eighth graders in select CPS elementary schools, and six schools in Northern Kentucky – a total of 27 schools and nearly 1,000 students per year.
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.