Chicago River Swim raising money for ALS research, will be first open-water swim event in the river in almost 100 years

CHICAGO — For three Chicago area residents, it’ll soon be time to leave the dry banks of the Riverwalk and immerse themselves in the waters of the Chicago River.

Olivia Smoliga, Dr. Derya Ozyurt and Bob Vear will be among the participants in an event that hasn’t happened in nearly 100 years.

The Chicago River Swim is scheduled for this Sunday, Sept. 21, the first time an open-water swim event will be held in the river since 1927.

The non-profit Chicago River Swim organization is behind the event, which they describe as a once-in-a-lifetime experience offering 500 swimmers the chance to navigate among the city’s iconic skyscrapers and under its historic bridges.

The swim will raise funds for ALS research and youth swimming lessons.

The swimmers

For Smoliga, a world-class swimmer, this opportunity was too unique to pass up. The Glenview native is a two-time Olympian who won a record eight gold medals at the 2018 World Championships.

She’s normally a pool competitor, but when she heard about the Chicago River Swim’s cause to help find a cure for ALS, she was all-in.

“I am not an open-water connoisseur, by any means,” Smoliga says. “I could not pass this up. To be able to swim in the Chicago River — what is this, like the first time in a century now, almost? — I can’t believe it.

“The fact that I’m going to be in (the river), I’m stoked about that.”

For Ozyurt, the Chicago River Swim is a family affair.

He’s married to Dr. Hande Ozdinler, a leading ALS researcher at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine.

“She is the love of my life,” Ozyurt says. “She taught me a lot about ALS, and everything else, and I love her dearly.”

And Vear is also diving into the Chicago River, citing safety measures put in place for the swim as one of the reasons he’s going for it.

“I think I’m more excited than nervous,” Vear says. “But I’m pretty nervous, as well.”

The course

The swim course consists of a half-mile stretch along the Chicago River’s main channel, between Wolf Point and the State Street Bridge.

There will be two distances, a longer 2-mile course and a shorter 1-mile course. All swimmers must have qualified by participating in other swim races, such as a triathlon.

The course will also be marked with large inflatable buoys, and lifeguards will be positioned throughout it. No boats will be allowed on the river during the swim, either, which the Coast Guard will make certain of.

Last year, the swim was moved to the lakefront after the city denied a permit for the Chicago River over safety concerns and swimmer concentration.

Testing for water quality in the river has already begun for this year’s swim, with help from UIC. The last test will be in the final hours prior to the swim, as part of the “go/no-go” final decision.

The causes

The Chicago River Swim is the dream of competitive swimmer Doug McConnell and his family.

The non-profit organization A Long Swim was founded by McConnell and sister Ellen McConnell Blakeman after their father died from ALS and Ellen was later diagnosed with the disease.

A Long Swim designs and manages open-water swimming events to raise funds for ALS research. To date, it’s raised $2.5 million.

Vear, a La Grange resident, says he’s been very close to people who have battled ALS, which is why he wanted to do the swim.

“A good friend of mine, Michelle Kram, has ALS. She’s been going through it for two years. Very brave,” Vear says. “I have some high school classmates that have it, as well, past and present.

“I just found out one in the last month that has it.”

Smoliga, meanwhile, recently started the In-Depth Swim Academy — and WGN-TV asked her by how many lengths she’s going to win the Chicago River Swim.

Kidding. Sort of.

“I’m a sprinter, so I’ve been told to go all out and just see how much I can hang on,” Smoliga says of her possible strategy. “So I don’t know if that’s the strategy, or if I should kind of build it to send it a little bit.

“I’ll see by the time race day comes, how I’m feeling.”

But however she decides to attack the Chicago River Swim this Sunday, don’t be surprised to see Smoliga competing in the 2028 Olympic Games in the pool in Los Angeles.

Learn more, donate

Visit chicagoriverswim.org for more information about the Chicago River Swim, including a LINK to donate to ALS research.

Visit alongswim.org for more information about A Long Swim.