SwimRVA Down River Rip
About this race
Ready for a fast swim?
🔥Down River Rip🔥 Richmond’s Ultimate Currents Challenge!
Get ready to ride the river and feel your heart race at one of the most thrilling open-water events in the Richmond region! The Down River Rip is a fast-paced, downstream river swim that takes place on the James River, where swimmers harness the power of the current and push their limits across miles of scenic flowing water. 🌊💪
Start at Watkins Landing, where the excitement kicks off as athletes plunge into the moving water and let the river’s energy carry them. From there, it’s a straight shot with the current — no laps, no turns — just pure open-water momentum all the way to Robious Landing Park for an unforgettable in-water finish! 🏁🌅
You’ll experience the pure thrill of swimming with nature’s force at your back. The event draws swimmers from across the region and beyond, turning the river into a spectacular ribbon of athletic energy and community spirit. 🌍🏊♀️
And the best part? The vibe is as refreshing as the water itself; with celebration, cheers, and scenic river views waiting at the finish line. 🎉🌿
Pick your distance
Swimming
4.4 Mile River Swim
Swimmers are transported by shuttle to Watkins Landing for the start of this fast, down current swim.
WETSUIT 4.4 Mile River Swim
Typical race-day weather
Based on 10 years of Open-Meteo archive data for this event's race dates in Midlothian, plus the 3 days either side.
The sun rises at 6:06 AM and sets at 8:07 PM local time (EDT) in Midlothian on May 9, 2026 — 14h 01m 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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2026 results — SwimRVA Down River Rip
75 finishers across 2 distances · leading places in the 4.4 Mile River Swim
| Place | Name | Time | Pace |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | James Crabb | 1:22:48 | 18:49 /mi |
| 2 | Jason Fox | 1:25:44 | 19:29 /mi |
| 3 | Denise Letendre | 1:31:33 | 20:48 /mi |
| 4 | Derek Simon | 1:32:30 | 21:01 /mi |
| 5 | Spencer Lowell | 1:32:50 | 21:06 /mi |
Every finisher is on the results page, filterable by distance, gender and age group.
All results by year
Other races near Midlothian
Different organizers, within 40 miles, in the next three months
Color Run 5k and 2k
Medal Madness 5K, & 10K at Midlothian, VA (44)
Gobbler 5K & 10K at Midlothian, VA (46)
Rrrc Miles & Mindset: The Men’s Run
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, 91 Midlothian events
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