2026 Washington’s Crossing
15th Annual Swim Across the Potomac
SUNDAY June 7, 2026 - Single 1.25 Miles, 2-WAY 2.5 Miles - All Ages
RACE INFORMATION DETAILS BELOW
2025 WASHINGTON’S CROSSING COURSE MAP
Swim the premiere open water race of the Potomac River and Nation’s Capital and make history!
The 13th annual Washington's Crossing is the only open water race in Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia that celebrates our Nation’s River, the Potomac River. We swim from National Harbor into the center of the Potomac River along the Wilson Bridge, and back to National Harbor for a 1.25 or 2.5 mile swim. Make history and register now! Feel the majesty, make history and register now! Limited spaces are available.
2024 Washington’s Crossing
Photos for the 2022 11th Annual Washington’s Crossing
2026 Race Details:
SUMMARY
Sunday June 7, 2026
Swim Distance: 2.1K (1.25 Miles) and 4.2K (2.5 Miles)
RACE INFORMATION
TIMELINE:
Sunday 7 June, 2026
NO RAIN OR ALTERNATIVE DATE
2 mile Course Wave: Check-in 7:00AM; Safety Briefing on the pier 7:45AM; Enter water and start after briefing.
1 mile Course Wave: Check-in 7:00AM; Safety Briefing on the pier 8:00AM; Enter water and start after briefing.
On-water support safety meeting at the commercial dock, north side: 0730
Race Concludes approximately 10:00 AM
2026 WASHINGTON’S CROSSING COURSE MAP (Click to enlarge)
Water Temperature Note: Water temperature has been hovering in the low to mid 80’s. Wetsuits will not be legal unless in extreme circumstances approved prior to the swim by the Race Director. Please prepare accordingly.
Parking: Lower lot at the Carousel and parking garages throughout National Harbor. All parking is pay on site.
Race director reserves the right to adjust start times for weather or river conditions.
For questions email info@waveoneswimming.com
ARRIVE READY TO SWIM!
Swimmer With Disabilities: If you have a disability that needs our attention, please notify us prior to the event so we can prepare for your needs.
Water Support: Kayakers will be located on the course and safety craft will be on site and prepared to administer aid if necessary. Kayakers’ instructions to swimmers must be followed. Swim caps will be provided and must be worn by all competitors. Water Safety Check In-Out: Swimmers MUST check in to proceed down the ramp to the dock and check out upon race completion. Once a swimmer exits the water during a race, the swimmer may not re-enter the water during that race. Support crews shall be designated to monitor approximately 200 meter stretches of the course. All crews will have a leader that is in marine radio contact with the on-land and on-water safety coordinators.
TIME LIMIT: Maximum Time Limit in the water shall be 90 minutes from the start for one mile event, 110 minutes for the 2-mile event. Swimmers still on the course at MTL may be removed from the swim course at the Referee's discretion. Swimmers not making steady and significant progress will be pulled or sent back to the starting point. Any 2-mile swimmer not reaching the western turn buoy within 50 minutes of the start may be directed back to the start/finish. Failure to make halfway time, the swimmer must turn back to start/finish or be pulled from the swim. It is the event director's intention to provide ample time for all swimmers to finish the event.
COURSE DESIGNATION: The course shall begin at the dock on the south side of the Freedom Pier at National Harbor. Swimmers shall advance westward toward the Wilson Bridge and turn west to the center of the Potomac River parallel to the Wilson Bridge. The swimmers entered in the 1 mile event shall turn clockwise around the large yellow buoy marked with a green buoy approximately halfway across the river (at the third Wilson Bridge span), swim parallel to the bridge to an orange buoy, turn clockwise and return to the Freedom Pier start/finish point. The 2 mile swimmers shall continue across the Potomac to the western side to a large yellow buoy near the main channel (8 spans from the east), turn clockwise swim parallel to the bridge to the large yellow buoy in the north cove, turn clockwise and return to the Freedom Pier start/finish point. A large Yellow buoy will mark the entry/exit to the Freedom Pier, Large orange and lime buoys shall be placed to help guide swimmers to maintain a direct course. A bonus course of .4 miles is available in orange on the course map for those that want add extra distance, time permitting. See Course Map and buoy location map. A large map shall be posted on the pier so swimmers can view the course during pre-race staging and orientation.
Check-in and staging: Check in ready to swim, pick up your cap, be numbered, be briefed and proceed down the ramp to the dock. Mandatory attendance is required for the SAFETY briefing on the pier. No warm up.
Courses: Start and finish occur at the same location. See Course Map attached or in the Alerts page of the WaveOne Open Water website.
Finish: Upon finishing, call out your bib number, we will record your time and you are eligible to collect a finishers award. Showers are available to rinse off. Once you dry off, we ask you to leave the swim/staging area. You will be free to roam about National Harbor at will.
ARRIVE READY TO SWIM!
WEATHER - Weather affecting visibility such as rain or potential storms will be caused to cancel the event. Winds above 14 knots or gusts above 20 knots will be caused to cancel or delay the event. Weather will be tracked with Radar Now, Weather Bug or other apps that display and forecast the DCA/Sterling Washington/Dulles radar feeds. Cancellation or delay will be the responsibility of the Race Director.
Tide is flood creating primarily a northern direction cross current to the course (toward the Wilson Bridge). Kayakers will be stationed throughout the course primarily at each buoy throughout the course. Any swimmers migrating north under the Wilson Bridge will be directed back on course or powered watercraft will be requested to bring them back to shore. If the flood tidal current is strong enough, kayakers will shift to provide a buffer between the bridge and swimmers.
Race will not be started until we are 3 hours clear of any pending electrical weather activity. If an emergency occurs, water will be cleared immediately. Slower swimmers will be picked up in first in the area of the emergency with motorized boats. There is no rain date.
Volunteers: Swimmers and their families are welcome to volunteer to help run the swim. If you are interested, please send an email to info@waveoneswimming.com to volunteer. Thank you!
EVENT DIRECTOR and WaveOne Open Water reserve the right to make changes at their sole discretion. All events and pricing subject to change without notice. WaveOne Open Water is a dba of WaveOne Open Water Swimming, Inc.
Please refer to the website for any questions and clarifications. If they are not addressed on the website, https://www.waveoneopenwater.com/. email: info@waveoneswimming.com
Thank you for swimming in the open water with WaveOne!
Water Temperature: This year temperature ranges from 80F - 84F for this time of year. Wetsuits shall not be allowed. WETSUITS and SWIM APPAREL: Article 303.7.3B of U.S. Masters Swimming Rules states that "Wetsuits or any other heat retaining swim wear may be allowed at the discretion of the event director when the water temperature does not exceed 82 degrees Fahrenheit..." This 82 degree limit will be enforced. Please look for water temperatures to be posted the last week prior to the event.). Use of wetsuits will be announced on swim day. Any swimmer wearing a wetsuit will be ranked separately. Swimmers may wear a “full-body” suit as long as the suit does not extend below the ankle or beyond the shoulder and does not cover the neck. Swimmers wearing wet suits or full body suits will be scored separately. A reasonable amount of body grease may be applied after body marking. Up to two swim caps may be worn and the outer cap must be the colored race cap provided on site to all competitors. In addition to goggles, nose-clips, ear plugs, and watches are permissible. SWIM TIMES and RESULTS: Will be posted on the website and emailed asap following the event.