Henley Swim open water events to return in 2026
The popular series of open-water swims will return in 2026 under new organisers, with a focus on the mile, marathon and ‘pub to club’ events.
The Henley swims have long been a staple of the swimming calendar with many triathletes donning their open-water goggles and wetsuits and using them as a welcome training event for late summer triathlons. In the past we’ve seen iconic athletes including former pro triathlete Richard ‘the fish’ Stannard attempt to beat the record for the most miles swum in one day at the Henley Swim Festival.
Under the stewardship of new owners UK-based events company, krono:sports, all events except for the festival will return in 2026.
The Henley Swims took a break in 2025 after publicity surrounding water quality saw a drop in entries.
“The relentless publicity about the quality of the water in the Thames has put thousands of people off the idea of open water swimming,” the organisers said at the time. “This has led to an unprecedented drop in the number of registrations.”
Back for 2026
In 2026 the new organisers have stated they will be focusing on the Henley Classic, the Club to Pub and the Thames Marathon and that they expect the return of the Henley Swim Festival in 2027.
Currently they are in the planning stage and events are not yet open to enter but you can register your interest.
The provisional dates for your diary are:
- Henley Classic: Sunday 28th June
- Club to Pub: Saturday 25th July
- Thames Marathon: Sunday 9th August
Lead image credit: Henley Swim
Helen Webster
Editor, 220 Triathlon 
