Swim
London.
A premium open-water swimming event through the heart of West London.
Tide-assisted Thames distances, elite-level standards and a cleaner-river mission.
Priority list now open. Entry details released soon.
Swim London moments
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River swims, supporters, planning nights and post-swim moments.
Why Swim London
London’s next iconic
open-water challenge.
A serious endurance swim, designed with the river — not imposed on it. Built around permissions, expertise and a cleaner-Thames mission.
Iconic London route
A tide-assisted Thames course through west London, designed to make a serious river swim possible — and unforgettable.
Expertly operated
Built with experienced event operators and a professional swim safety lead, in coordination with the Port of London Authority.
Cleaner-river advocacy
We believe London should have cleaner, safer, more accessible urban waterways. Swim London champions that future.
Premium experience
Limited places, considered design, strong photography and a proper finish. A swim worth training for.
Distances
Choose your distance.
Two tide-assisted Thames distances for capable open water swimmers. Final entry standards and inclusions will be published before entries open.
Long course
The headline Swim London distance. A serious tide-assisted Thames swim for the experienced open water swimmer.
- Tow float required
- Open water experience essential
- Cut-offs and entry standards to be published
Landmark course
A meaningful river swim for capable swimmers wanting a landmark London distance without the full 10 km commitment.
- Tow float required
- Open water experience essential
- Same tide-assisted Thames corridor
Transparency
What’s confirmed. What’s being finalised.
We’re building Swim London openly. Here’s where the plan is locked, and where the operational detail is still being signed off with our partners and river stakeholders.
Confirmed
Locked in
- Sunday 6 September 2026
- 10 km and 5 km swim options
- Brentford to Putney route concept
- Tide-assisted Thames swim
- Limited places
- Priority entry list now open
Being finalised
In progress
- Final operational permissions
- Full water safety plan
- Water-quality protocol
- Entry criteria and cut-off times
- Final start, finish and event-day timings
- Partner and sponsor announcements
The route
From Brentford to Putney, with the tide.
The Swim London corridor follows the tidal Thames through west London, working with the river. Swim London takes swimmers through one of the capital’s most iconic river corridors, from Brentford past Kew Gardens, Chiswick, Hammersmith Bridge and Craven Cottage, finishing at Putney, the historic starting point of the Boat Race.
Safety & standards
Built around the river,
not imposed on it.
Swim London is an organised, permission-led event. Tide windows, water-quality monitoring, swim safety teams and clear go/no-go criteria sit behind every decision we make.
- Port of London Authority engagement
- Professional swim safety lead
- Tow floats required
- Water-quality checks and weather contingency
Testimonials
Voices from
the river.
Olympians, swim leaders and event founders on what Swim London means — and where it's heading.
“Honoured to win the first modern Lords and Commons trophy after a 75 year hiatus. This event has a very bright future.”
“We made history in the Thames so that safe swimming can become the future. This first stroke was for clean water and the right for everyone to enjoy it.”
“An inspiring event to be a part of, with a real sense of community and the feeling of the start of something great — with bigger and more exciting events to come.”
“I'm excited to see the return of swimming events to the tidal Thames. Swimming with the current promises to produce fast, tactical racing among the elites and a fun swoosh down the river for the rest of us.”
“What an unforgettable experience last summer, joining the Olympian swimmers on their River Thames 'swoosh' from Kew Bridge to Hammersmith Bridge. While they covered the full course a touch faster than us, our group swam a shorter stretch — and we all finished just in time to cheer them across the line at Hammersmith.”
“The return of competitive racing to The Tidal Thames marks the rebirth of this great river and the moment it was reclaimed by swimming public”
Gallery
The spirit of the swim.
Moments from the river, the finish line, and the community that brings Swim London to life.
Partners
Build a London property with us.
Swim London is a premium sporting property with a cleaner-river mission. Partner categories are open across sport, sustainability, health, finance, technology and London-focused brands.
Founding partners
Founding partners to be announced.
We are now speaking with brands, organisations and partners who want to support a landmark London swimming event built around health, the river and the future of swimmable cities.
Priority entry list now open
Join the priority entry list.
Be first to hear when entries open. No spam — just updates on entries, route confirmation, safety briefings and partner news as we get closer to Sunday 6 September 2026.
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Full priority entry form