Registration

What can I prepare in advance for the application form?

  • Emergency contact name & relationship
  • Emergency contact phone number
  • Medical conditions
  • List your marathon swimming experience over the past three years (please do not include DNFs, wetsuit swims, ice miles, or relays)
  • List any other marathon swimming experience you consider relevant
  • List any other athletic activities you would like us to consider in your application
  • To be considered for early or late season dates, list your cold water experience (water temperatures on June 1 can be as low as 60 ̊F)
  • Include a one- to three-paragraph biography about yourself suitable for publication, including your marathon swimming experiences
  • Include a photo of yourself that we have permission to use on our website and social media platforms
  • Provide your feeding plan for a marathon swim
  • Name of charity you are fundraising for (if applicable)

Do I need to provide any medical records or a doctor’s sign off?

We highly recommend regular physical checkups from qualified medical professionals with an understanding of the physical demands of marathon swimming. 

What qualifies as a marathon swim?

Any documented swims greater than a 10K is considered a marathon swim. The documentation can be a link to the swim event results website or a centralizing website such as Marathons Swimmer Federation.  

The following are some example of swims that do not count as marathon swims: swims done with wetsuits, swim-runs, current-assisted 10Ks, mountain climbing, relays, ice miles, training swims that have not been ratified by an independent organization such as MSF, etc.

Can NYOW arrange for tandem swim pairings?

No, NYOW does not arrange tandem pairings. Swimmers have to find their own tandem partners. Tandem swimmers must be equal in speed and have documented experience swimming together over long distances.

How many crew do I need? Is there a maximum?

You must have at least one person crewing for you, and you are allowed two crew members. Tandem swimmers can have one crew person only, due to space constraints. Keep in mind you will also be provided with a kayaker, who will be handling your feeds.

Do I have to have crew?

Yes, you do need crew. Many swimmers end up being able to work exclusively with the paddler for support, but in unforeseen circumstances a crew person is essential — thus the requirement. 

I’m coming from out-of-town. Can you help me to find crew?

You are welcome to use the local open water chat board to seek crew. Here is the link:
https://cibbows.org/forums/forum/cibbows-swim-chat/.

Can children be crew members?

Crew should be 16 years or older.

Do swimmers need to provide their own kayakers?

No. NYOW will provide you with an experienced swimmer escort paddler. If you have a paddler with escort experience you can have them apply for approval.

Is there a set starting point and time for the swim or is it determined by tides?

The start point of the swim — usually either Pier A at the southern tip of Manhattan or Mill Rock on the Upper East Side — can vary based on the tides and other factors. Regardless of the swim start location, boat loading and unloading takes place in Lower Manhattan.

Do you offer a swim longer than twice around Manhattan/40 Bridges?

The tidal nature of the “rivers” around Manhattan requires that a swimmer hide from the current and tread water for hours during the middle lap of any multiple-circumnavigation attempts. Our first-hand observation of this phenomenon has led to the conclusion that it is inconsistent with the spirit of marathon swimming. Therefore, we no longer sanction or support any multiple circumnavigations beyond 40 Bridges.

How/when will the waitlisted swimmers be offered slots?

This is unpredictable. If an assigned swimmer cancels their slot, fails to meet the payment schedule, fails to provide mandatory information, or has another issue, their position will become available. To fill this opening, we will offer it to the top waitlisted swimmer who has indicated availability for that window and work through the list until the spot is filled.

Will waitlisted swimmers get preference for an assigned spot in a future year?

No. The applicant review process is unique each season.

Is the waitlist binding?

It is not. There is no deposit collected from waitlisted swimmers, and if a waitlisted swimmer gets offered a spot and can’t take it, they can remain on the waitlist in case of other openings.

If I am registered for an event and then get offered a spot from the waitlist for a different event, can I switch my payment over or get a full refund for the original event?

No, each entry is discrete and subject to the Fees and Withdrawal Policy for the specific event.

Swimmer Attire

Is there a non-traditional swimsuit (e.g. wetsuit) category for this event?

No. None of NYOW’s marathon events allows non-traditional swimsuits of any kind.

The swimsuit (for both genders) shall be made of porous, textile material. For males, the suit must not extend below the knee or above the waist. For females it must not extend below the knee, onto the neck, or beyond the shoulder.

The cap shall not offer thermal protection or buoyancy. The observer will have to approve the suit and cap. The swimmer must make sure their suit and cap are of an approved type before starting, as the swim will not be recognized if they do not conform.

Can I wear KT (kinesiology) tape? Sea bands?

No. KT tape anywhere on the swimmer is not allowed for any reason, nor are sea bands.

Can I wear a watch, Garmin, Smart Goggles, heart-rate monitor, or other types of informational/tracking/data devices?

No devices of any kind (digital or analog) are allowed.

FYI: As part of the marathon swims, we do provide a SPOT tracker for your family and friends to be able to “follow” you. The tracker is affixed to the escorting kayak. At the completion of a 20 Bridges swim, you may also order a custom-made GPS track of your swim overlain on a map of Manhattan for a modest fee.

Do I have to wear a cap?

Yes, absolutely!!! You must wear a bright swim cap; black or white caps are not allowed. The event provides a bright swim cap, but you may wear a different bright cap if you so choose. We need to be able to see you clearly, especially on days when the weather is spotty.

Event Logistics

Is a schedule for my swim and contact info for my paddler available?

This information is set out to swimmers approximately one week prior to the swim.

Does the swimmer take feeds from the kayak or the escort boat?

Swimmers are fed from the kayak. At various points in the course depending on conditions including marine traffic it may not be safe for the swimmer to be close to the escort boat.  

Do escort boats have warming or icing facilities e.g. microwaves, coolers, water boilers?

No, they do NOT. Swimmers and their crew are responsible for bringing their own sustenance (e.g. feeds, hot water, etc.).  Also do not ask the kayakers to mix feeds during the swim. This should be done beforehand or by the crew, so that feeds handed to the kayakers are ready to go.

How close to the shore is the 20 Bridges course?

It varies depending on which river you are in, the winds, the current, boat traffic, etc. Most of the time, the swim is closer to the Manhattan shoreline than the other side. During the first stretch of the Harlem River, however, swimmers are on the Wards Island/Bronx side.

How close is the support boat to the swimmer?

It varies depending on conditions.  As a general rule the kayak is next to the swimmer, and the swimmer sights off the kayak — not the escort boat. Swimmers need to be able to work from either side of a boat or kayak as wind direction may require.

What is the cutoff time?

There is no specific cutoff time for most swims. The operations team will make the judgement call if the swimmer is no longer making forward progress.   

What is the role of the official observer? How involved are they in the swim?

The observer is present to document the swim, to ensure the rules are followed, and to provide an additional set of eyes to keep the swimmer safe. They are not considered part of the crew. Most of the observers are trained and experienced with local events, and many have completed 20 Bridges themselves.

What is the average water temperature?

This is of course date dependent and does vary from year to year.  You can look at sites such as this to get a historical range: https://www.seatemperature.org.

Is there a pre-race meeting?

There is no pre-race meeting.

I have a lot of questions. Can we do a call?

Sorry but NYOW’s small, part-time staff does not have the capacity for phone calls with swimmers or to handle media requests. Our focus is on producing safe events for more than 100 swimmers each year. We endeavor to provide clear written communications so that participants have the details they need.

Are “swim buddies” allowed?

Designated crew personnel may serve as support swimmers aka pace swimmers or swim buddies for the 20/40 Bridges Swim only in the Harlem River north of 103rd Street and in the Hudson River north of Riverbank State Park (~145th St).

For the Ederle-Burke Swim, pace swimming by a crew person may be permissible in the middle of the swim. It won’t work near the beginning or end of the course.

For the 8 Bridges Swim, pace swimming is permissible north of Spuyten Duyvil.

It is always at the discretion of the observer and the boat captain during the swim as to whether pace swimming may be allowed given the current weather conditions and boat traffic. When permissible, support swimmers can only accompany swimmers for one-hour blocks of time, and there should be at least one hour in between pace swims.

If someone were looking to try to push the pace a bit at the most strategically valuable points in the 20 Bridges swim, where would this be?

There’s not much point in pushing the pace in the Harlem. The later you stay there, the more of a natural push you will get. It makes more sense to push the pace in the Hudson when the current is picking up, such as at and after reaching the George Washington Bridge.

I’m doing a “quiet swim.” What does that mean?

The quiet swims are low-key. Swimmers need to be ready to go when they are on the dock as they will get picked up and put in the water soon after. Please make sure you bring towels to protect the boat from your zinc cream, etc. These swims use RHIBs so the crew must be prepared for less comfort and no head.

What are the rules for a tandem swim?

A tandem swim involves both swimmers completing the entire marathon swim course together. Swimming tandem can be a good way to have company and reduce individual costs for a swim. Tandem swimmers are required to keep within 5 meters (side by side) of each other throughout the swim. Drafting is not permitted. We strongly advise that tandem teams log some training swims of 10k or more together as part of their preparation.

Tandem swimmers will each have their own kayaker, but will share a motorized escort. Each tandem pair will be allowed only one crew person total and will be assigned one observer. If separation occurs, it is the responsibility of the faster swimmer to slow down to keep the pair together. If one swimmer withdraws during the swim, the second swimmer can continue.

Each swimmer’s completion of the swim is recognized as a solo swim. The final time given to both tandem finishers is based on the slowest swimmer’s finishing time.

Paddler Info

What are the experience requirements for paddlers?

Paddlers must be experienced with swim escorting, using a spray skirt, and local conditions. New paddlers may apply, and our paddler coordinator will review your application and reach out with any questions. 

Be advised that event conditions can vary from flat to quite sporty, so kayaker experience in our dynamic NYC waters really counts. Swims go forward despite rain or wind, and NYOW can’t guarantee conditions on the day of the swim. The last thing anyone wants is for their kayaker to become a liability to the success of their swim. 

What gear do paddlers need?

NYOW provides all kayaks (sea kayaks only, no sit-on-tops) and insulated deck bags. It is helpful if paddlers can bring their own paddle, PFD, visibility flag, and marine radio, though paddlers may request to borrow NYOW gear if necessary. Paddlers must supply their own waterproof watch, ideally with stopwatch functionality. 

Results

Where can I see results?

During the season, NYOW posts unofficial results on the swimmer assignment spreadsheet. At the end of the season, official results get posted on the NYOW website, submitted to Marathon Swimmers Federation (MSF), and individual finisher certificates are issued. Swimmers can also order a custom GPS track overlay for a modest fee at this link: https://www.nyopenwater.org/20-bridges-gps-track/.

Are NYOW marathon swims sanctioned?

Yes, NYOW follows the necessary protocols to have our swims ratified/sanctioned/recognized by Marathon Swimmers Federation (MSF).