Chicago River Swim
About this race
The Chicago River Swim is the signature event of A Long Swim, a 501(c)3 charitable organization that raises funds for ALS collaborative research through Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine and local youth learn-to-swim programs. The event is made possible through the support of dozens of local and federal agencies, area businesses, and the entire Chicago community.
Pick your distance
Swimming
2-Mile Swim Application
The Chicago River Swim will offer athletes a once-in-a-lifetime experience to swim among Chicago’s famous skyscrapers and under its iconic bridges.
1-Mile Swim Application
The Chicago River Swim will offer athletes a once-in-a-lifetime experience to swim among Chicago’s famous skyscrapers and under its iconic bridges.
2-Mile Swim
Selected participants of the inaugural 2025 Chicago River Swim will soon swim among Chicago’s famous skyscrapers and under its iconic bridges.
1-Mile Swim
Selected participants of the inaugural 2025 Chicago River Swim will soon swim among Chicago’s famous skyscrapers and under its iconic bridges.
Typical race-day weather
Based on 8 years of Open-Meteo archive data for this event's race dates in Chicago, plus the 3 days either side.
The sun rises at 6:36 AM and sets at 6:51 PM local time (CDT) in Chicago on September 20, 2026 — 12h 15m of daylight.
Course
No course map published yet.
The organizer hasn't released a route for this event, and we don't publish guesses. If you're the organizer, send us a GPX file and we'll draw the profile.
Reviews
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Results — Chicago River Swim
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Where this page comes from. Race details were last updated on . We re-check listings regularly and again in the week before race day.
- Entries, prices, waves and inclusions — the event's official registration page
- Temperature and humidity — Copernicus ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0)
- Elevation and terrain relief — Copernicus DEM GLO-90, ESA (CC BY 4.0)
- Comparisons and counts — Race Discovery calendar, 147 Chicago events
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