Open Water Summer Series

A Long Swim hosts its Open Water Summer Series during the summer each year. These events provide opportunities for triathletes and open water swimmers to compete in professionally-timed events under real race conditions. The distances offered are 750 meters (equal to the swimming leg of a Sprint triathlon), 1,500 meters (the swimming leg of an Olympic triathlon), 1.2 miles (the swimming leg of a half-Ironman) and 2.4 miles (the swimming leg of a full Ironman). For open water swimming purists, A Long Swim also offers a 5k swim (3.1 miles).

The unfilled demand for these swims stems from triathlons, which is a very popular sport in the Chicago area. The Chicago Tri alone attracts 9,000 athletes every year, and the International Triathlon Union event a few years ago really put Chicago on the triathlon map. For triathletes, there is an uncountable number of running event alternatives for training purposes. The number of cycling events is almost as large. The number of swims that are available, even in a market the size of Chicago, could be counted on a few fingers. Ironically, swimming is the sport in which most triathletes need the most work, as it tends to be most triathletes’ weakest event.

A Long Swim hosts a series of well-attended open water swimming events in the Chicago Suburbs. These events are the perfect opportunity for triathletes and open water swimmers to gauge their training under race conditions. Our 2021 Open Water Summer Series schedule is TBD.

Each participant in our Summer Series has the opportunity to raise additional funds for A Long Swim by becoming a Sponsored Athlete. To learn more about the A Long Swim Sponsored Athlete program, visit here or contact Kate Himes at [email protected].