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2027 SwimRVA New Year's Challenge

calendar_today 31 Dec, 2026

directions_run Running

pool Water sports

language Official Website

sell $75.00

2027 SwimRVA New Year's Challenge

About the Event

The SwimRVA New Year's Challenge is about YOU.  It is about setting goals for the coming year.  No matter if you are a beginning swimmer or just finished crossing the English Channel, this event is YOURS.  At SwimRVA we want you to be healthy, happy and energized to be part of our community.  We believe swimming can be your vehicle to stay healthy active and fit.  The SwimRVA New Year's Challenge is about setting a goal of how far you can swim.  The format is repeating 100 yard swims on an interval.  The interval is designed so you have time to finish each 100 yard swim, get some rest and then start another.  Past participants have had goals of 3 x 100s up to 100 x 100s.  The measure of success is not how far you swim, but whether you reached YOUR goal and set a NEW GOAL for next year.  We hope the New Year's Challenge is rejuvenating and centers each and every participant on the SUCCESS they will achieve in and out of the pool. 

Check out last year's SWIMRVA NEW YEAR"S CHALLENGE GALLERY

ARE YOU READY?  WILL YOU TAKE THE CHALLENGE FOR YOU, YOUR FAMILY AND OUR COMMUNITY?  YOU ARE WHAT MAKES RVA GREAT!

The event is going to be on Wednesday, December 31, 2026.  The event will run from 2pm-5pm. Check-In starts at 1pm. 

There will be a tiered fee structure. It's ONLY $75 if registered by October 31.  At registration you will pick the interval you would like to swim. Instructions will be to pick an interval where you will get between 15-45 seconds rest. So if you can comfortably swim a 100 freestyle in 2:00 you will want to pick an interval around 2:30 depending on how much rest you want on the wall. Interval choices will start at 1:30 and progress as follows: 1:40 1:50 2:00 2:20 2:40 3:00 3:30 4:00. 

If you are more of a leisure swimmer, you may want to choose 3:30 or 4:00.  If you do not know your interval, please pick 4:00 and we will place you on event day.

This is all about YOU!  There is no competition, except with yourself.  Will you ACCEPT THE CHALLENGE?

Races Offered

2027 SwimRVA New Year's Challenge

Dec 31, 2026

straighten

Distance — 9.1K

terrain

Type — Running, Water sports

timer

14:00

sell

$75.00

Weather History

These values represent the 3-year monthly averages for December in Richmond.

thermostat Temperature
0.9° / 10.2°
wb_sunny Feels like
-3.2° / 6.7°
light_mode Avg sunshine hours
6h 49m
water_drop Avg rainfall
3.3 mm
ac_unit Avg snowfall
0.2 cm
air Avg wind speed
10.4 km/h (Light breeze)
opacity Sweat loss rate
Low
terrain Course conditions
Firm and slightly soft
sunny Max UV Index
Low (2.0)
humidity_mid Humidity
71.6%
wb_twilight Sunrise
08:16
nightlight Sunset
17:53

About Richmond

Learn more about the host city, Richmond.

Scenic view of

Richmond is the capital of Virginia. Richmond has a population of 227,000 (2020) and the adjacent counties of Henrico and Chesterfield combine to create a local population of more than 1.3 million people.

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Hotels & Places to Stay

Video

Watch highlights and course previews from previous years.

Runner Reviews

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