Swimmers who were hoping to traverse the Ohio River this weekend will have to wait a little longer.
The organizers of the Bill Keating Jr. Great Ohio River Swim have announced that the annual event, scheduled for this Sunday, will be postponed because the river’s current will exceed 1 mile per hour. In advance of the Swim, organizers evaluate river stage, velocity, presence of debris, algae, bacteria and ambient weather—this year, the velocity was in excess of the event’s usual trajectory.
“The river current, which is typically around 0.5 mph for our swim, is currently running significantly faster and is not expected to return to a level we feel is safe for swimmers to cross the river this weekend,” said Event Chair Caroline Keating. “My number one priority is making sure this event is not only fun and memorable, but most importantly, safe for every swimmer who joins us. We know many of you have been training and looking forward to Sunday, which made this a tough call, but ultimately the right one.”
Participants in the Great Ohio River Swim enter the water at the Serpentine Wall in Downtown Cincinnati and swim to the Kentucky side of the river and back —approximately 900 meters — while the river is closed to motorized traffic. Some swimmers who want to go the (literal) extra mile participate in the event’s “Double Dipper” program, where they take a 2.5-mile swim downstream along the Ohio shoreline before joining participants in the traditional 900-meter course.
The new make-up date for the event is Sept. 13. 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 8:30 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 the first 275 participants.
“We are incredibly grateful for your support, flexibility and enthusiasm for this special Cincinnati tradition,” Keating said. “Now we’ll turn our attention to Sept. 13 and hope Mother Nature cooperates so we can all enjoy a safe and beautiful swim across the Ohio River in a few weeks. Thank you for understanding, and we can’t wait to see you on the river!”
For more info on the Bill Keating Jr. Great Ohio River Swim, visit the official website.
