Take a dip in the water and test your endurance at the upcoming Beaufort River Swim (& Run). The exciting open water event is coming to the river on Saturday, May 31st.
In its 19th year, competitive swimmers and recreational fitness swimmers from around the region have the opportunity to challenge themselves beyond the standard swimming pool in the a 3.2 mile open water swim that begins at the Port Royal Landing Marina and finishes at the boat ramp at the the Downtown Beaufort Marina adjacent to Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park.
It runs along the shoreline of Beaufort, highlighting the natural beauty of the area.
It’s a unique opportunity to experience what swimming in open water is like and to just kick back and enjoy the scenic view of Beaufort from the water.
A few years back, organizers at the Beaufort Jasper YMCA of the Lowcountry also added a 5K race to the event, in a relay-style. The 5K portion of the event takes place in downtown Beaufort starting at the Waterfront Park after the swim portion of the race. It crosses the Woods Memorial Bridge, taking a right on Meridian Road, turning around at approximately 1/2 mile and repeating the same course back to the finish.
“Our 19th Annual Beaufort River Swim + Run offers several event options, including: 3.2 Mile Swim, 1 Mile Swim, 3.2 Mile Swim + 5k Run or 1 Mile Swim + 5k Run,” organizers said on Facebook.
The Beaufort River Swim is a Beaufort and Lowcountry tradition. The River Swim began in 2006 as a way to promote the sport of swimming during the Beaufort Water Festival and the Beaufort YMCA took over the event and hosted it starting in 2008.
The YMCA operates it with its proceeds benefiting the YMCA Learn To Swim Program, helping to provide swimming lessons to local children. “This program provides scholarships for swim lessons so that everyone in our community feels safe in the water,” the YMCA said.
