Swim London 10K
Open-water swimmers stroking through the Thames from above
Sunday 6 September 2026 · 11:30 · Entries open

Swim London 2026 — 10 km Brentford to Putney and 5 km Barnes to Putney

Swim London

A tide-assisted open-water swimming event through the heart of West London.

Choose a 10 km swim from Brentford or a 5 km swim from Barnes, finishing at Putney Embankment on Sunday 6 September 2026.

Enter Swim LondonExplore the event
Open-water swimmers powering past Hammersmith Bridge with a safety kayak alongsideSwimmers gathering beneath Hammersmith Bridge on the ThamesSwimmers passing beneath Hammersmith Bridge escorted by safety kayaksSwimmers on the Thames in front of Fulham's Craven CottageOpen-water swimmers spread across the ThamesSwimmers standing beside the river with Hammersmith Bridge in viewSwimmers celebrating together at the finishA group of swimmers celebrating together after a Thames swim

Swim London on the Thames

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Countdown to race day

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  • Sunday 6 Sept 2026
    Race day
  • 10 km
    Brentford to Putney
  • 5 km
    Barnes to Putney
  • Tide-assisted
    River works with you
  • Entries open
    Limited places

Choose your distance

Two tide-assisted Thames distances.

Both swims are downstream, with the finish at Putney Embankment. Prices, cut-offs and inclusions are confirmed below.

10 km Thames Swim

10 km

The headline Swim London distance: a tide-assisted journey from Brentford to Putney for experienced open-water swimmers who are confident completing the full distance.

Start
Brentford
Finish
Putney Embankment
Cut-off
4-hour cut-off
Format
Tide-assisted
  • Experienced open-water swimmers
  • Tow float required
  • Wetsuits optional (subject to water temperatures exceeding 16°C, final guidance confirmed 2 weeks prior to race day)
  • Minimum age 18
£150
Entry

Standard entry — includes finish area, medal and refreshments.

Enter Swim London

5 km Landmark Swim

5 km

A major London open-water challenge from Barnes to Putney. The tide assists swimmers downstream, making this the more accessible Swim London distance while still requiring proper preparation and open-water confidence.

Start
Barnes
Finish
Putney Embankment
Cut-off
2-hour cut-off
Format
Tide-assisted
  • Capable open-water swimmers
  • Tow float required
  • Wetsuits optional (subject to water temperatures exceeding 16°C, final guidance confirmed 2 weeks prior to race day)
  • Minimum age 18
£130
Entry

Standard entry — includes finish area, medal and refreshments.

Enter Swim London

Can I do it?

Practical self-assessment.

Swim London is for capable open-water swimmers. Use these points to work out whether the event is right for you now — or a goal to build towards.

  • You should be a capable open-water swimmer. Swim London should not be your first-ever open-water swim.
  • You should be able to complete your chosen distance continuously.
  • The Thames tide assists swimmers downstream, which is why the cut-offs are achievable.
  • The 5 km is the more accessible option; the 10 km is intended for experienced distance swimmers.
  • Tow floats are required. Wetsuits are optional, subject to final event-day guidance.
  • Cut-offs are 2 hours (5 km) and 4 hours (10 km).
  • Swimmers start in waves, based partly on expected pace.

Why Swim London

A London open-water swim,
designed with the river.

An endurance swim built around permissions, professional standards and a cleaner-Thames mission.

Tide-assisted route

Both distances swim downstream through West London, so the river carries you towards Putney rather than working against you.

Professional event standards

Built with experienced event operators and a professional swim-safety lead, in coordination with the Port of London Authority.

Cleaner-river advocacy

Swim London supports the case for cleaner, safer, more accessible urban waterways in London.

Finish at Putney Embankment

Finish on the historic Putney Embankment among the rowing clubs, with music, awards and the event village.

The route

Brentford, Barnes and Putney.

The 10 km course runs from Brentford to Putney. The 5 km course runs from Barnes to Putney. Both distances finish at Putney Embankment. Final start access points will be confirmed in the participant guide.

Route detailsEnter Swim London
Map of the Swim London course on the tidal Thames: 10 km start at Brentford, 5 km start at Barnes, passing Kew, Chiswick and Hammersmith Bridge, finishing at Putney Embankment
The Swim London course on the tidal Thames: 10 km starts at Brentford Dock Marina, 5 km starts at Barnes Village, both finishing downstream at Putney Embankment via Kew, Chiswick and Hammersmith Bridge.

10 km

Brentford to Putney

  1. Brentford
    downstream
  2. Kew
    downstream
  3. Chiswick
    downstream
  4. Hammersmith
    downstream
  5. Putney Embankment

5 km

Barnes to Putney

  1. Barnes
    downstream
  2. Hammersmith
    downstream
  3. Putney Embankment

Route summaries only, not exact swimmer navigation. Final start access points, wave arrangements and detailed course information will be confirmed in the participant guide.

Safety & standards

Built around the river,
not imposed on it.

Swim London is an organised, permission-led event. Tide windows, water-quality monitoring, professional swim-safety teams and clear go/no-go criteria sit behind every decision.

  • Port of London Authority engagement
  • Professional swim-safety lead and multiple safety boats
  • Tow floats required
  • Water-quality checks and weather contingency
Read safety approach
Two open-water swimmers in front of Hammersmith Bridge on the Thames

Water quality

Our commitment to clean water.

We take water quality seriously, and we are open about how it is managed. Swim London follows a structured water-quality monitoring programme in the run-up to race day, with sampling and real-time testing of the course in the days immediately before the event, alongside live rainfall, storm-overflow and river-condition data. Clear go/no-go parameters are agreed in advance with our safety team and the relevant river authorities. If those thresholds are not met, we amend, postpone or cancel the swim — swimmer health always comes before the event going ahead.

Read our safety approach
  • Scheduled sampling and real-time testing of the course before race day
  • Live monitoring of rainfall and storm-overflow activity on the tidal Thames
  • Published go/no-go thresholds agreed with our professional safety lead
  • Pre-swim guidance on hygiene, kit and post-swim care for every entrant
  • Clear communication to entrants if conditions change

What to expect

What to expect on race day.

Your Swim London entry covers a properly organised event on the tidal Thames.

Professionally organised event

Permission-led delivery with an Event Management Plan, RAMS and insurance.

Professional swim-safety team

Professional safety lead and multiple safety boats on the river throughout.

Participant guide

Registered swimmers receive a full participant guide covering arrival, kit, safety, route and finish.

Finish at Putney Embankment

Finish among the rowing clubs at Putney, at the Swim London event village.

Food and drink available to purchase

Hot drinks, food and snacks available for purchase at the event village.

Music and awards

Music and award ceremonies at the finish. Full award details confirmed closer to the event.

Testimonials

Voices from
the river.

These reflections come from Swim London’s development journey, the successful supervised trial swim, and the Lords and Commons Cup — not from the public September 2026 event, which is still to come.

“Honoured to win the first modern Lords and Commons trophy after a 75-year hiatus. This event has a very bright future.”

Hector Pardoe, Olympian & 2025 Champion
Hector Pardoe
Olympian & 2025 Champion

“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.”

Max Litchfield, Three-time Olympian
Max Litchfield
Three-time Olympian

“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.”

Leah Crisp, Paris 2024 Olympian
Leah Crisp
Paris 2024 Olympian

“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 swim down the river for the rest of us.”

Simon Griffiths, Editor, Outdoor Swimmer
Simon Griffiths
Editor, Outdoor Swimmer

“A memorable summer’s day joining the Olympian swimmers on their River Thames swim 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.”

Michael Hamill, Swim London co-founder
Michael Hamill
Swim London co-founder

“The return of competitive racing to the tidal Thames marks the rebirth of this great river and the moment it was reclaimed by the swimming public.”

James Bethell, Co-founder of Swim London
James Bethell
Co-founder of Swim London

Essential FAQs

The questions swimmers ask most.

Answers to the essentials. Full FAQs are on the FAQ page.

All FAQsEnter Swim London

Entries open now

Enter Swim London.

Places are limited. Book directly through our ticketing partner Njuko to secure your entry for Sunday 6 September 2026.

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