Drury Gallagher was inducted in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame in its Class of 2011 as an Honor Administrator and earlier in the Masters International Swimming Hall of Fame in its Class of 2006. During his IMSHOF induction speech at the United Nations, he talked about the early history of the Manhattan Island Marathon Swim and his involvement with Tom Hetzel (MSF bio here) in getting the 45.9 km circumnavigation swim started.
NYC Swim
After Gallagher and Hetzel got things kicked off, then Morty Berger continued operating the Manhattan Island Swimming Association and organizing the MIMS event. In 1993, Berger evolved and expanded the single MIMS event to a series of local shorter swims under the NYC Swim banner throughout the 1990s, 2000s, and until 2015.
For over 20 years, under Berger’s leadership, the MIMS race grew as the sport of marathon swimming continued to expand and interest in the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming increased. But then Berger decided to turn to other activities. He explained, “Why are we leaving the open water stage? After 20+ years of missing family events, seeing dear ones pass, and having key members of the team having to focus on their personal health challenges, it was time to close the book. With so many open water swim options available and more being planned on the horizon, our community’s hunger for swims will easily be satisfied.“
New York Open Water
In the vacuum and amid a growing global demand for the MIMS race, David Barra (60, USA, MSF bio here), Rondi Davies (55, Australia, MSF bio here), and Alex Arévalo stepped up and founded New York Open Water (NYOW, @nyopenwater) in 2016. They rebranded the swims (transforming MIMS to the 20 Bridges Swim), updated the race logos, revamped the application procedures, and expanded the local network of pilots, escort kayakers, and volunteers. For their efforts, they received the Streeter Award for Service to Marathon Swimming, an award given by the Marathon Swimmers Federation – and they are still going strong.
Their enthusiasm, passion, attention to detail, and know-how – similar to Gallagher and Berger before them – contributed to the growth of New York City events.
I recall lauding the NYOC trio at the time, “New York Open Water has rapidly stamped and shared its vision on the marathon swimming world. The event management entity has taken the energy and opportunities of the defunct NYC Swim to a new level. David Barra, Rondi Davies and Alex Arévalo built upon the Manhattan Island Marathon Swim and other established swims around New York City – and extended and strengthened the opportunities to swim around, in and near the Big Apple. From the 91.8 km 40 Bridges Double Manhattan Island Swim to the even longer 193 km 8 Bridges Hudson River Swim, the passionate trio has built a solid foundation of races for the world’s most extreme marathon swimmers as they are continuing to attract swimmers from around the world to New York.”
Today, NYOW announced its 2026 marathon swim application is open. Barra explains, “All applications submitted by January 15, 2026, will receive full consideration. There is no need to rush to be among the first to apply. Our calendar includes the following marathon swims:
- 8 tidal windows from June 13th to October 25th for solo or tandem swimmers for the 20 Bridges Swim Around Manhattan with a small number of slots per date.
- New 20 Bridges Swim Around Manhattan Relay option to give more people access to our incredible local waters and to serve as a bridge to marathon swimming. These are safe, fun, unofficial events open to relay teams of 2, 3, or 4 swimmers within the same tidal windows as above. Captains (only) should apply at this time.
- Week-long 8 Bridges Hudson River Swim, plus single-stage swims during that week or later in the season. 8 Bridges is contingent on having a minimum field of two swimmers or one solo swimmer and one tandem pair for each stage.
- 1 date for the 40 Bridges Swim Around Manhattan, contingent on having a minimum field of two swimmers or one solo swimmer and one tandem pair.
- 1 date for the Ederle-Burke Swim, contingent on having a minimum field of two swimmers or one solo swimmer and one tandem pair.
The specific event pages, linked above, provide the event details including dates, deadlines, and policies.
Acceptances will be posted by January 31st. If your application is accepted, you will be assigned a date for your swim. If we are unable to accept all qualified applicants, we will also post a waitlist. A US$750 non-refundable deposit will be required by February 14th to confirm your entry. Registration for paddlers, observers, and support crew is planned to open in the spring.
Please refer to the swim pages and FAQ if you have any questions, or feel free to be in touch. Email info@nyopenwater.org or for more information, visit nyopenwater.org.
New York Open Water is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization that provides safety, support, and funding for open water swimming and kayaking programs and events while advocating for better stewardship of New York State’s natural water resources and promoting public access to these waters.
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