Over 225 Navy SEAL veterans and first responders plan to swim across the Hudson River and jog to One World Trade Center on Aug. 19, 2023, as part of an annual triathlon. (Navy SEAL Foundation)
Everyone knows Navy SEALs are tough, but come Aug. 19, participants in the Navy SEAL Foundation New York City SEAL Swim will put their mettle to the test.
Over 225 first responders and military veterans — including 100 veteran SEALs — plan to swim from the shores of New Jersey across the Hudson River and then make their way to One World Trade Center in Manhattan, the site of the 9/11 memorial.
Although this will be the fifth iteration of the Navy SEAL Foundation NYC SEAL Swim, it is the first year the Navy SEAL Foundation has taken up the organizer mantle. Geoff Leard, Director of Athletic Events at the Foundation, has competed in Ironman Triathlons and swum the Navy SEAL Foundation NYC SEAL Swim himself three times.
“The Hudson River is obviously no joke. Swimming in a pool is different from swimming in open water,” Leard said. “You can do as many laps as you want in a pool, but you’re not going to get into that fighting shape to take on the currents of the Hudson.”
Physically tough athletes commit to crossing the Hudson’s strong currents in the NYC SEAL Swim triathlon. Stops along the route include the Liberty State Park, Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Battery Park and One World Trade Center. (Navy SEAL Foundation)
Participants gear up to swim across the Hudson River as part of a triathalon honoring Navy SEALs, veterans and first responders. The 2023 NYC SEAL Swim is set to take place on Saturday, Aug. 19. (Navy SEAL Foundation)
Participants don’t approach the challenge lightly, and neither do the organizers. Each swimmer is vetted for their capabilities. Leard said if an individual is not cleared by the director, they are not allowed in the water.
Those who are deemed fit start their trial at the Empty Sky Memorial in Liberty State Park, N.J. After entering the water in their matching swim trunks, the athletes swim to the Statue of Liberty where they complete 100 pushups and 22 pullups. Next, participants backtrack to Ellis Island and commit to another round of pushups and pullups. The final leg of the event has competitors swim across the Hudson River to New York’s Battery Park, grab a waiting American flag and jog to One World Trade Center for one last exercise set.
Manhattan’s Ground Zero was chosen as the finish line to honor all who died in the 9/11 attacks or subsequently in events such as Extortion 17 on Aug. 6, 2011 — the greatest single-incident loss of American lives in Operation Enduring Freedom Afghanistan — and to honor Navy SEALs, first responders and all those who put their lives on the line in service for the country.
Veterans and first responders commit to 100 pushups and 22 pull-ups at each station throughout the NYC SEAL Swim triathlon. (Navy SEAL Foundation)
The final stretch of the NYC SEAL Swim sees athletes carry an American flag from Battery Park to One World Trade Center. (Navy SEAL Foundation)
“A lot of these guys signed up to serve on SEAL teams after 9/11,” Leard said. “To end an event at the root of why you decided to serve our country speaks volumes to that swim, speaks volumes of the guys who come out.”
Navy SEAL Foundation CEO Robin King, who has been with the organization in other roles since its inception in 2000, said New York City and the Foundation have been linked in a special way for years.
“I think with 9/11 and with bin Laden, New Yorkers identify with the sacrifice of the SEAL community in a way not everybody does,” King said. “We feel a special kindred relationship with New Yorkers when we’re there.”
To enter, each swimmer pledges a fundraising goal that will benefit the Navy SEAL Foundation, a four-star rated charitable organization, according to Charity Navigator. The Foundation dedicates 93 cents for every dollar donated to their mission of providing critical support for active duty, veterans, and families of the Naval Special Warfare community.
The Navy SEAL Foundation NYC SEAL Swim has nearly doubled in size since its first year. King said the organizers hope for a large spectator turnout as well.
“It’s an iconic swim,” Leard said. “Everyone’s there to do the right thing for an amazing community. It’s one of the coolest events I’ve ever been a part of.”
To learn more about the Navy SEAL Foundation NYC SEAL Swim, visit the event website.
