Welcome! Knoxville Open Water Swimmers (locally known as KOWS) is East Tennessee’s largest open water swim club, affiliated with US Masters Swimming.

Since 2016, KOWS leads organized weekly swims in the Tennessee River or the local Quarries, from May through September. Great for the pool swimmer or triathlete that’s growing their open water skills, as well as the experienced swim marathoner or former collegiate athlete, every swim is fun, welcoming and safe.

KOWS partners with LB Endurance, a local endurance coaching company, to operate and direct two open water swim races each year: Bussell Island Swim (May) and Bridges to Bluffs (September).

Bridges to Bluffs 10km Swim takes swimmers downstream in the Tennessee River, past the iconic bridges of downtown Knoxville and by the beautiful bluffs of nearby neighborhoods, finishing in scenic Sequoyah Hills. Solo and 2-person relay teams have been racing this course since 2017.

Bussell Island Swim is held in Lenoir City, TN in the Little Tennessee River. Started in 2024, it’s perfect for swimmers of all abilities, with three distance options from 1-mile to 3.3-miles.

Whether you are interested in joining our weekly swims or want 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.

Also, check us out on social media- we’re always up to something fun!