Making a Splash
The Bill Keating, Jr. Great Ohio River Swim
Sunday, Aug. 24
7 a.m. – check-in
8 a.m. and 8:15 a.m. – start
Event is limited to the first 250 participants.
The event is expected to sell out.
Take the plunge into the Ohio River for a great cause!
The Bill Keating, Jr. Great Ohio River Swim
Sunday, on Aug. 24, is a 900-meter, open water swim held downtown Cincinnati to benefit Adventure Crew. Founded in 2007, it’s the largest open water swim across the Ohio River and back.
“The Great Ohio River Swim gets more and more popular every year,” said Miriam Wise, Adventure Crew’s director of support and engagement. “Many swimmers now see it as an annual ‘must-do’ summer challenge, and others are excited to check crossing the Ohio off their Cincinnati bucket list. We appreciate the growing interest in the event – and the fact that every registration and sponsorship supports Adventure Crew’s mission of connecting city teens with nature and each other through outdoor adventures!”
Swimmers who want to go the extra mile–literally–are part of “Double Dippers.” This small group of participants make a 2.5-mile swim downstream along the Ohio shoreline before joining participants in the traditional course.
This exciting across the Ohio River 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 and swim to the Kentucky side of the river and back while the river is closed to motorized traffic
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’m so excited for another year of the Bill Keating Jr. Great Ohio River Swim, which directly supports Adventure Crew and specifically their incredible swim program,” Caroline Keating said. Now more than ever, it’s critical to invest in the teens in our community, and that’s exactly what Adventure Crew does. I know my dad would be proud to see how we’re honoring his legacy by building a stronger, more connected future for our city’s youth.”
If river conditions are uncooperative, the event will be rescheduled for Sunday, Sept. 7.