Start/Finish Location: Pier A, Battery Park, New York, NY

2020 Registration Opens: Early 2021

Event Dates: 

1. June 24-27
2. July 24-28
3. August 7-11
4. August 22-26
5. September 6-10
6. October 7-11 (Please note that water temperatures will be in low 60’s Fahrenheit)

Pricing

The cost for 20 Bridges is $3000.  This covers your boat/boater, observer and kayak/kayaker. You will be allowed two crew members maximum. The cost for swimmers 25 and under is $2000.

Withdrawal Policy:

* Withdrawal before April 1: swimmer gets a full refund minus a $300 processing fee.
* Withdrawal after April 1: swimmer will be refunded entire fee minus their deposit of $750. However, if their swim spot cannot be filled the swimmer will not be refunded.
* Withdrawal 14 days prior to event day: No refunds

Fundraising Policy:

You are welcome to raise funds for a cause when you swim 20 Bridges as long as you abide by the following guidelines.
* The organization you are raising funds for must be a registered charity or not-for-profit organization.
* This organization can not represent a religious or political cause.
* All proceeds must go to the charity you are fundraising for. You can not fund your swim through your fundraising efforts.

20 Bridges Selection Criteria:

Entries are no longer ranked by their timestamp, so swimmers should take their time to make a strong application. Instead, we will be putting an emphasis on swimmer resume. Criteria will include:

1. Completed recent and less recent marathon swims
2. Field diversity for each date (age, gender, nationality)
3. Swimmer schedule (EC, CC bookings)
4. Participation as a NYOW volunteer
5. Preferred swim dates
6. Cold water experience (For 20 Bridges-1 on June 1)

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.

*  List any other marathon swimming experience.

(Do not included relays, wetsuited swims etc in these two fields)

*  List any other athletic activities you would like us to consider in your application.

*  List your pace for one hour of swimming hard in a pool.

*  List the distance you swim per week during peak marathon training.

*  Water temperatures on June 1 will be as low as 60 ̊F. To be considered for this date list your cold water experience.

*  Include a one to three paragraph biography about yourself 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.

Like our Facebook page and check our website for updates from time to time.

The 20 Bridges around Manhattan Island include:

Hudson River (date built/length):
1. George Washington Bridge (1931/1,450.85 meters)

Harlem River (date built/length):
2. Spuyten Duyvil Bridge (1899/186 meters)
3. Henry Hudson Bridge (1936/673 meters)
4. Broadway Bridge (1962/170.08 meters)
5. University Heights Bridge (1908/82 meters)
6. Washington Bridge (1888/723.9 meters)
7. Alexander Hamilton Bridge (1963/724 meters)
8. High Bridge (1848/600 meters)
9. 18. Macombs Dam Bridge (1895/774 meters)
10. 145th Street Bridge (1905/489 meters)
11. Madison Avenue Bridge (1910/577 meters)
12. Park Avenue Bridge (1954/100 meters)
13. Third Avenue Bridge (1898/853.44 meters)
14. Willis Avenue Bridge (1901/979 meters)
15. Triborough Bridge (1936/230 meters)
16. Wards Island Bridge (1951/285.6 meters)

East River (date built/length):
17. Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge (1909/1,135 meters)
18. Williamsburg Bridge (1903/2,227.48 meters)
19. Manhattan Bridge (1909/2,089 meters)
20. Brooklyn Bridge (1883/1,825 meters)

New York Open Water, Inc. was formed for the purposes of conducting and providing safety, support and funding for open water swimming and kayaking programs and events, while advocating for creating better stewardship of New York State’s natural water resources, and promoting public access to these waters.

New York Open Water Inc. is a 501 (c) (3). Our by-laws are posted here.

The corporation provides:

1. A series of annual open water swimming events including the 8 Bridges Hudson River Swim; a 7-day, 120 mile swim along the Hudson River that celebrates the Hudson River and New York Harbor by offering a challenging and safe environment for swimmers to test their ability, while raising awareness for the health, environmental stewardship, and enjoyment of this body of water.
2. Support and services for solo marathon swimming and paddling adventures.
3. Open water navigation and safety educational and training services for the open water community.
4. Sanctioning and record keeping of open water marathon swims in New York State.
5. Funding to support the establishment and operation of athletic and environmental aquatic programs including the promotion of youth in open water events in order to further the growth and longevity of the sport.
6. Organizational support services to related institutions in New York in order to maximize our impact on current efforts.