Entry Requirements & Fees
— IT'S ALL FOR CHARITY, BABY
The Chicago River Swim is open and inclusive of all races, ethnicities, religions, sexual orientations, gender expressions, and sexual identities. There is no fee to apply for the Chicago River Swim, however due to anticipated demand, a special application process is initiated to determine qualified candidates.
2025 APPLICATIONS
A priority, week-long application window will open Tuesday, September 24 for the public and past participants as well on this site. Those applications will close on Monday, September 30 at 11:59 PM CST. A second (general) application window will open in the future (exact dates TBD). All 2024 participants and deferred athletes receive guaranteed access into the 2025 event, yet will be required to complete the same application as the general public. Details forthcoming. Capacity in the 2025 event will be limited.
Applications will be screened for eligibility. The formal selection and registration process timeline is TBD, relative to firm commitments from the city and all public safety entities to host the event on the Chicago River. Credit cards and payments are not required for the application process. Selected individuals will eventually be notified of their acceptance into the event and asked to complete a final registration process.
2025 APPLICATION SCHEDULE
- Priority Application Window: Tuesday, September 24 through Monday, September 30
- General Application Window: TBD
- Participant Selection & Notification: TBD*
APPLICANT REQUIREMENTS
Interested in applying for the Chicago River Swim? There are three requirements for candidates:
✓ Adults Only | Applicants must be at least 18 years of age on event day
✓ Experience Required | Applicants must show prior proof of completing their distance of choice (1-mile or 2-mile) from a professionally organized open water swim event in the previous 36 months
✓ Participant Profile | Applicants must submit an official questionnaire which includes swim history, goals, and motivations
2025 PARTICIPANT REQUIREMENTS
Selected participants must agree to and complete the following:
✓ Registration Fee | Selected participants must complete a secondary registration process, pay a small, non-refundable fee (TBD), and place their credit card on file
✓ US Masters Swimming License | Non-USMS Members must also pay a $20 (USD) non-refundable sanctioning fee upon registration
✓ Fundraise | Selected participants agree to fundraise a minimum amount (TBD)
✓ Swim Safety | Participants must agree to wear the event-issued swim cap, timing chip and swim buoy during the swim, and abide by a forthcoming set of event rules
✓ Athlete Briefing | Participants must attend a mandatory safety and logistics session prior to the event; No exceptions
✓ Packet Pick-Up | Participants must pick-up their own race packets on event weekend, and present a government-issued photo ID
✓ Forward Progress | Participants must make continuous progress from start to finish without prolonged stops.
NOTE: Additional requirements may be listed prior to the application process and/or event weekend.
2025 FEES
There is no fee to apply, however selected participants will be required to complete a registration process, submit entry fees, create a personal fundraising profile, and commit to reaching a fundraising goal in order to enter the event.
✓ Application Fee | $0
✓ Participant Fee | TBD
✓ Fundraising Goal | TBD
Selected participants will be charged a non-refundable event registration fee (TBD), a $20 U.S. Masters Swimming sanctioning fee (current USMS members excluded), and place a credit card on file using a secure registration system. Applicants who are not selected will not be charged.
Selected participants also agree to raise a minimum amount of dollars on behalf of A Long Swim. A fundraising portal, related tools and ongoing support will be provided by the event. Participants must complete their fundraising efforts by in advance of the event, or pay the outstanding balance using their credit card on file.
To support their efforts, these fundraising milestones will be set for the 2025 season:
✓ TBD: Participant Selection, Fundraising Begins
✓ TBD: Fundraising Milestone 1 (25% complete)
✓ TBD: Fundraising Milestone 2 (50% complete)
✓ TBD: Fundraising Milestone 3 (100% complete)
Participants are strongly encouraged to go above and beyond their threshold, where incentives and awards will be offered to top fundraisers.
NO REFUNDS OR TRANSFERS
Once registration has been completed, refunds of any kind ARE NOT permitted. Entries cannot be transferred to other individuals. If someone else participates under your name and is injured or causes an accident, that person will not be covered by the included athlete protection insurance. Additionally, if the athlete participating in your name causes injury or damage, you may be liable in part for those damages.
EVENT CANCELLATION POLICY
In the event of less than favorable water conditions, event organizers will attempt to postpone the event to a rain-out date. In the unlikely event that neither date is viable, participants will be automatically deferred to the next year’s event.
Thank you for understanding.
