For updated information on water levels & the Ohio River Swim please go to www.cincytriathlon.com.

Join us for the 3rd Annual Great Ohio River Swim on Saturday morning, July 24, 2010. Athletes will again enter the Ohio River for the biggest and only open water swim competition in the Ohio River.

On Saturday morning, July 24, 2010 at 7:30am athletes will again enter the Ohio River for the biggest and only open water swim competition in the Ohio River.

The course starts at the upstream end of the Serpentine Wall, swims directly across the Ohio River to Kentucky and then angles back to finish at Public Landing. The distance is just under 900 meters.

YOU MAY REGISTER ON RACE MORNING FOR THE GREAT OHIO RIVER SWIM.

On site check-in will begin on Saturday, July 24 at 6:30 a.m. at the finish line at Public Landing. Registration and check in will close at 7:15am. The swim will begin at 7:30 a.m.

There will be FREE parking on the Public Landing for Saturday morning only (remember there is no parking at Public Landing on triathlon morning).

The Great Ohio River Swim Clinic will take place at 7:00am at the Serpentine Wall. Come on down and learn some tips about open water swimming.

Once again, the Ohio will be closed to barge and power boat traffic. The swim will be timed. Awards will be given to the winners by class.

Go with the flow! We look forward to seeing you on July 24th!

This is a USA Triathlon sanctioned open water swim. You must be a member of USA Triathlon or purchase a one day insurance license fee for $10. You can pay the fee as part of your entry.

For more information and registration options, click here.

The Ohio River Way, Inc is among this year's recipients of an Ohio Educational Grant.

Among this year’s recipients of boating education grants is The Ohio River Way, Inc., which is using a $15,273 grant award to host the Kids’ Outdoor Adventure Expo. As part of the annual 2-day Paddlefest celebration, this year’s Expo is being held Friday, June 26, at Coney Island in Hamilton County.

“This is the largest outdoor water safety and environmental educational program for children in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana,” says Doug Coates, business administrator for Ohio River Way.

Nearly 3,000 children ages 5-16, mostly from inner city neighborhoods throughout the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky metropolitan area, will spend the day learning the importance of protecting the environment. Also included are opportunities to experience paddling a canoe, riding in a whitewater raft, and fishing on Coney Island’s Lake Como.

Click here for more about the awarded grant in this month's ODNR Buckeye Boater.

For more information on the 2009 Kids' Outdoor Adventure Expo, click here

Hamilton County and the City of Cincinnati would like to get your opinion on how "Bike Friendly" our city is. If you have a few moments, we urge you to fill out this survey with your thoughts. Here's a note from Hamilton County Commissioner David Pepper on the survey:

Dear Bike Friendly Advocates,

I'm forwarding a link for people to fill out our Hamilton County/City of Cincinnati Bike Friendly Survey!

The purpose of it is to gather as much information from the public—whether serious or casual bicyclists, or other stakeholders who have views on this topic—about our cycling assets and opportunities, as well as challenges and needed improvements. It will help us best prepare as we put together our overall Bike Friendly Plan and Application.

Please forward it to your groups and constituencies, as well as to any colleagues, biking enthusiasts, friends and family members. It's not intended to be a scientific survey as much as a way to gather as many ideas, insights and general trends as possible. So the more people who take it, the better.

Sincerely,

David Pepper
Hamilton County Commissioner

Excitement is growing over the bike trail to link Downtown to Lunken Airport, and eventually to the Little Miami and Ohio River trails! Planning is nearly complete for the launch of a private capital drive to raise the additional four million dollars necessary to supplement public sector funding. As the November kick-off date nears, we need to work together to raise public awareness and support for this project. Please make your support of this project known in your neighborhood, workplace, and with your City and County representatives.

There is an excellent article about the Trail’s progress in last Monday’s Cincinnati Enquirer; to read, please click here. If you have questions about the project, or would like to learn more about how to get involved, please contact Teresa Lubic at tlubic@ohioriverway.org.

More on the Ohio River Trail.

The First Annual Great Ohio River Swim, sponsored by the Ohio River Way, Inc, was a great success. Over 70 swimmers ages 13-91 from four states participated in the inaugural 1/2 mile swim from the Serpentine Wall to the Ky shore by Newport on the Levy and back. Race Director Jonathan Grinder and his team from Tuscon Racing managed the timed race. Special thanks to the Coast Guard, the Coast Guard Auxiliary and the Cincinnati Sail and Power Squadron for patrolling the Ohio which was closed to barge and power boat traffic for the swim. Thanks as well to the 12 life guards from the Cincinnati Recreation Commission who monitored the safety of participants and to the students from the Thomas Moore College Center for Ohio River Research and Education who placed and retrieved our race buoys.

• Story on Cincinnati.Com • Photo gallery on Cincinnati.Com

UPDATE: Race times are now available! Click here for results.

Great Ohio River Swim Photos

Click the photos below to view our photos on Flickr. If you're posting your own photos from the Swim to Flickr, be sure to tag your photos "ORWswim" and we'll share them with everyone.