Welcome! Knoxville Open Water Swimmers (locally known as KOWS) is East Tennessee’s largest open water swim club. In addition to our weekly swim meetups, KOWS also operates and directs two open water swim races each year, Bridges to Bluffs and Bussell Island Swim. Bridges to Bluffs, a 10k swim, takes swimmers downstream through the TN river, past downtown Knoxville and by the beautiful bluffs of nearby neighborhoods. Bussell Island Swim is a new race in 2024, and is a perfect swim for swimmers of all abilities- ranging from a 1 mile distance to a 5k option.

Whether you are interested in joining our weekly swims or wanting to register for a race- you’re in the right place! Use the tabs at the top of the page to get you to where you want to go. If you have any questions, please reach out. We’re happy to help! Also, check us out on social media- we’re always up to something fun!