Fundraising Requirements by Event Day:

Swimmers 18 are required to raise $500 by event day.

Swimmers under 18 and over are required to raise $300 by event day.

Registration Self-Donation:

Swimmers – please kickstart your fundraising and let your supporters know you are personally committed to the mission of SAA. The registration self-donation is a 100% tax deductible donation that will be will be credited towards each swimmer's fundraising minimum. The minimum self-donation amount will change as follows:

• Register before March 31 with a registration fee of $50
• Register between March 31 and May 17 with a registration fee of $75
• Register between May 18 and June 10 with a registration fee of $100
• Register between June 11 and event day with a registration fee of $200

As a reminder, this is a fundraising event, and we ask all of our registered participant swimmers to make a concerted community commitment to raise money for cancer research. Please note, this fundraising effort is responsibility of each swimmer and can be accomplished by making requests to others in your extended network to donate to you and is in addition to your registration fee/self-donation.

NOTE: Online registration will close Wednesday, June 17 at 9 p.m. EST. On-site event day registration will be available but must adhere to fundraising minimums.

WaveMaker Status: $1,000 minimum:

WaveMakers go above and beyond the call of duty by raising at least $1,000 regardless of your age. Anyone can achieve WaveMaker status - swimmers, volunteers or SAA My Way participants. WaveMakers get special recognition and an exclusive WM gift on event day. You can learn more about WaveMaker Status here.

Swim as an Individual, or on a Team:

A person may elect to swim alone, or be part of a team. Many colleagues and college alumni will form teams, or teams may be formed in honor or memory of a loved one. All teams are inspirational and rewarding for all of us involved with Swim Across America. All team members are still required to meet the individual fundraising minimum of $500.

Kids' Splash:

Even the youngest kids can make a big splash. Children up to age 11 can participate by splashing a short distance along the beach. Registration is $40 and each registered participant receives a shirt, towel and swim cap. Parents are welcome to join in and must accompany non-swimmers or those under age 6. It’s a fun way for the whole family to make waves to fight against cancer! See more information under the Kids’ Splash section below!

Angel Swimmers

For those who are hesitant about swimming in open water, we are happy to provide an “angel swimmer” to swim the course alongside you. Angel swimmers are experienced open water swimmers who encourage you, keep an eye on you and support you during your swim. If you think you may benefit from having an angel swimmer, please respond yes to the question presented in online registration. You may also reach out to answer any questions.

Distance Options:

• 0.5 Mile
• 1.5 Mile
• 3.0 Mile

Wetsuit Policy:

FOR 2026: Check back for expected water temperature.

Below 67° F ------ Required*
67.1° F - 79.9° F ------ Permitted
80° F and above ------ By approval only*

Swim skins are permitted.

*Exceptions may be reviewed and approved by the Risk Management Coordinator, Event Director, and Swim Course or Safety Coordinator. Local safety teams must be advised of the special exceptions.

Wetsuit Rentals and Purchases:

Local Rental: Ski & Scuba Connection in Greenwich, CT, rents wetsuits rent for $15 plus tax. You will need to visit the store, try on the suit, fill out the rental form, pay for the rental ahead of time. You can pick the suit up on Friday, June 19th. They will have a representative at the event to collect the suits after the swim. The wetsuits are 3 mm full jump suits and are considered general water, sport wetsuits (not triathlon suits). They also have 2.5 mm shorty general water sport wetsuits. Suits are available on a first come first serve basis.

Online Rental: Tri Wetsuit Rentals is offering a 15% discount off the $55 price of a wetsuit rental for our open water swim. Roundtrip shipping cost is an additional $20. Enter coupon code FINISH1 at checkout. Orders must be placed by May 28 to ensure delivery in time for the event.

Online Rental: Kit Lender is offering a 10% discount off any Wetsuit or Kit rental. Roundtrip shipping costs are included. Enter coupon code SAAFC2025 at checkout.

Wetsuit Purchase: Orca is an SAA wetsuit partner offering a 20% discount on all Orca purchases with code OF_SAA20.

Waivers:

All swimmers and volunteers must complete the waiver found here.

The 2026 Event Packet will be released the week before the event. The 2025 Swimmer Packet is available to review. It contains important information about the schedule, what to expect and what to bring.

Since 2007, SAA - Fairfield County has granted more than $6 million to our beneficiary, Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy. Based in Stamford, CT, ACGT is the only nonprofit organization dedicated exclusively to funding innovative scientists working to harness the power of cell and gene therapy to transform how cancer is treated.

Read more about the research of the current fellows in the SAA-Fairfield County Impact Report.

Current Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy Research Fellows Funded by Swim Across America Fairfield County

Crystal Mackall, MD, Ernest and Amelia Gallo Family Professor and Professor of Pediatrics and of Medicine at Stanford University, Founding Director of the Stanford Center for Cancer Cell Therapy, Co-Leader of the Stanford Cancer Immunotherapy Program and Director of the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy at Stanford University - Solid tumors, next-generation CAR T- cell therapy (Profile)
Project: SNIP-CARs allow “remote control” of CAR T cells using a drug administered as a pill. SNIP-CARs contain a molecule, called a protease, that continuously “snips” the CAR molecule in half preventing its function, unless a drug is present to inhibit the “snipping protease.” SNIP-CARs are “OFF” at baseline but are activatable (they still require the tumor target to be activated) in the presence of the drug. Controlling the CAR T in this way can limit toxicities and provide a more effective therapeutic impact. This research will complete the necessary lab to full-scale manufacturing and subsequent regulatory steps to advance to a Phase I clinical trial of SNIP- B7H3-CAR in adults and adolescents with relapsed/refractory solid cancers.

Antonio Chiocca, MD, Co-Chair, Executive Committee, Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston (Profile)
Project: Glioblastoma Goal: Bringing a “next generation” oncolytic virus designed to increase the ability of the virus to grow in and destroy GBM (brain cancer) cells while also remaining safe in normal tissues. These studies will allow Dr. Chiocca to file an Investigational New Drug application to the FDA.

Joe Fraietta, PhD, Faculty Member, Immunobiology Program , Abramson Cancer Center, Director, Translational and Correlative Sciences Laboratory, Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania (Profile)
Project: Glioblastoma Goal: Metabolic reprogramming of the CAR-T cell epigenome.

Damon Reed, MD, Pediatric Hematologist-Oncologist: Swim Across America - Fairfield County also supports childhood cancer research thanks to the annual Golf Outing with Petretti & Associates. The event allows us to grant funding to Dr. Damon Reed of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Dr. Reed specializes in treating children, adolescents, and young adults with sarcomas and other solid tumors, with a focus on understanding and overcoming therapy resistance.

Fairfield County Swimming League (FCSL) Pool Swims

SUMMER 2026
Watch for club dates and encourage your club to have a pool swim this summer.

NDAC Swim Against Cancer

Bard College Pool
Date: April 19, 2026

Interested in starting a pool swim to raise funds for SAA-Fairfield County? Check out our "Start A Pool Swim" page or email us to learn more!

Fundraise and give hope your way with SAA My Way. Choose your own fundraiser and support our community any time, anywhere, any way.

Register with a $100 self-donation and we’ll send you an SAA Swag Bag to show off your spirit. Click here to learn about all the ways you can have fun your way! Fundraising is not required but we encourage all SAA My Way participants to set a minimum fundraising goal of $250.

Unable to attend our event this year? Sign up for SAA My Way and make an impact your own way. To sign up, click the register button above and select 'SAA My Way' as your participation type.

Even the youngest kids can make a big splash. Children up to age 11 can participate by splashing a short distance along the beach. Parents are welcome to join in and must accompany non-swimmers or those under age 6. It’s a fun way for the whole family to make waves to fight against cancer!

The SAA-FC Kids’ Splash joined the SAA-FC open water swim in 2024 and was started to honor courageous Willa Kosh of Greenwich, CT, who was royally and fearlessly battling pediatric leukemia, specifically B cell ALL. "Queen Willa" is the nickname that was given to Willa after she was diagnosed with leukemia at age 5. Willa successfully completed her treatment in 2025 and will be back this year to splash with all of her friends!

Registration is $40 and each registered participant receives a shirt, towel and swim cap. There is no fundraising minimum for Kids’ Splash swimmers. However, they are encouraged to fundraise if they would like! Please follow the steps at the top of the page and click 'in-person swimmer' to get kids registered. Note: each child must be registered separately.

Join the Kids' Splash and help make waves to fight against cancer! For any questions about the Kids’ Splash, please contact Caroline Nicolau.

Volunteers are the backbone of the Swim Across America Family ensuring our event run smoothly from beginning to end. Even if you aren’t a swimmer, you can still help us in the fight against cancer. Don’t forget, volunteers can fundraise too if they want! Ready to volunteer with us? Click on the Register button and select the Volunteer participation type.

Land Volunteers

Land Volunteers staff all aspects of our event on land. You can anticipate helping with set up, swimmer check-in, finish line support, hospitality and post-swim events/clean up.

Water Volunteers

Water volunteers consist of kayakers, stand-up paddleboarders and power boaters that provide crucial logistical and safety support to our event officials and for our swimmers. They will monitor the swim lane, keep an active eye on all our swimmers and communicate any swimmer issues to our event officials.

Angel Swimmers

Angel Swimmers are experienced open water swimmers who are willing to accompany a nervous swimmer throughout the course. Angel swimmers must be able to swim all distances and help out if the swimmer needs. To register as an angel swimmer, choose “volunteer” and then select Angel Swimmer. The local planning team will have final approval of angel swimmers.

Questions about volunteering? Check out our SAA Volunteer Page or contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Julie Colligan.

If this is your first time participating or if you just need some tips to be a better fundraiser, click here. It will walk you through the participant center and teach you how to email donors, share on social media sites and download the fundraising app. You can find more helpful resources on our fundraising resources page.

Be a WaveMaker by taking your fundraising to the next level and raising $1000! Anyone can achieve WaveMaker status - swimmers, volunteers or SAA My Way participants. WaveMakers get special recognition and an exclusive WM gift on event day. You can learn more about WaveMaker Status here.

You may support the participant of your choice by making an online donation. Or you may send a check, payable to Swim Across America, to the address below:

Swim Across America
PO Box 681
Riverside, CT 06878

Make sure to include a note with the name of the participant you are donating to.

Swim Across America, Inc. (“SAA”) is a nonprofit corporation recognized by the IRS with federal tax-exempt status as a public charity under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (Tax ID #22-3248256)

SAA Safety & Policies:

Participant safety is the most important component of all our events. All swimmers will be asked to follow specific safety procedures and policies to participate, as well as comply with SAA safety personnel, including local and government entities, lifeguards, and water safety volunteers. Participants are responsible for adequately preparing for their registered event. We ask that all participants review the information packet provided in advance of event day, as well as attend the day-of safety briefing for important safety information.

Waiver:

All swimmers and volunteers must complete the waiver found here.

If you have questions about our policies regarding inclement weather, swim equipment or wetsuits, please consult our Policies page.

Schedule is tentative and subject to change.

6:00 am: Volunteers Arrive

6:30 am - 7:30 am: Registration

7:30 am: Registration Closes (for Kids’ Splash and All Swimmers)

7:30 am: Group Photograph

7:45 am: Welcome & National Anthem

7:55 am: Honored Speakers

8:15 am: Rolling Swim Start beginning with Kids’ Splash

3-mile, 1.5 mile and 1/2 mile swims to follow

10:00 am: Awards Ceremony

10:30 am: Open Water Swim Ends!

Wetsuit Policy:

FOR 2026: Expected water temperature will be updated close to event day.

Below 67° F ------ Required*
67.1° F - 79.9° F ------ Permitted
80° F and above ------ By approval only*

Swim skins are permitted.

*Exceptions may be reviewed and approved by the Risk Management Coordinator, Event Director, and Swim Course or Safety Coordinator. Local safety teams must be advised of the special exceptions.

Wetsuit Rentals and Purchases:

Local Rental: Ski & Scuba Connection in Greenwich, CT rents wetsuits rent for $15 plus tax. You will need to visit the store, try on the suit, fill out the rental form, pay for the rental ahead of time. You can pick the suit up onn Friday, June 20th. They will have a representative at the event to collect the suits after the swim. The wetsuits are 3 mm full jump suits and are considered general water, sport wetsuits (not triathlon suits). They also have 2.5 mm shorty general water sport wetsuits. Suits are available on a first come first serve basis.

Online Rental: Tri Wetsuit Rentals is offering a 15% discount off the $55 price of a wetsuit rental for our open water swim. Roundtrip shipping cost is an additional $20. Enter coupon code FINISH1 at checkout. Orders must be placed by May 28 to ensure delivery in time for the event.

Online Rental: Kit Lender is offering a 10% discount off any Wetsuit or Kit rental. Roundtrip shipping costs are included. Enter coupon code SAAFC2025 at checkout.

Wetsuit Purchase: Orca is an SAA wetsuit partner offering a 20% discount on all Orca purchases with code OF_SAA20.

Course Map

Directions:

Swim Location: 96 Cummings Point Road in Stamford, CT
Take Connecticut Turnpike (I-95) to Exit 5. At the traffic light at the end of the ramp, take a right onto East Putnam Avenue (U.S. route 1). At the first light, take a right onto Sound Beach Avenue. Bear right at the rotary and continue on Sound Beach Avenue to end (approximately 1.9 miles). Turn left onto Shore Road. Proceed to third stop sign (approximately .8 miles), turn right onto Cummings Point Road. Follow Cummings Point Road and look for event parking signs and volunteers.

Places to Stay:

The following hotels are centrally-located for swimmers attending this event:

Sheraton Stamford Hotel
700 East Main Street
Stamford, CT 06901
(203) 358-8400

Hyatt Regency Greenwich
1800 East Putnam Avenue
Old Greenwich, CT 06870
(203) 409-4350

2026 HIGH SCHOOL CUP LEADERBOARD

High school students have always been a big part of the swim—especially swimmers, divers, and water polo players—but you don’t have to be in the water to participate. Students can represent their school by swimming (.5, 1.5, or 3 miles) or volunteering (on land or on a boat, kayak, or paddle board).

To make it even more exciting, the High School Cup Challenge is a fundraising competition between schools. The High School Cup goes to the school team that raises the most money, so everyone is encouraged to fundraise. The winning school will take home the High School Cup Trophy for the year, earn bragging rights, and be recognized at the event.

High school teams participate under a shared fundraising minimum of $5,000. While student participants are encouraged to meet the standard $300 fundraising minimum, high school teams follow this team-based approach, with each participant contributing to the team goal. Remember every dollar raised helps your team climb the leaderboard in the High School Cup Challenge.

Simply register, list your school so your fundraising counts toward your school’s total, and join your school’s efforts to fight cancer.

Contact your coach with any questions about registration or fundraising.

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS!! The Junior Advisory Board (JAB) is a group of dedicated students who help lead the fundraising efforts and build awareness for Swim Across America Fairfield County. The deadline for applications for the 2026-2027 Junior Advisory Board (JAB) is October 4th. Students can receive community service hours as members of the JAB. You can find the application here.

Questions? Contact Kara Mendelsohn & Linda Whitridge at swimacrossamericafcjab@gmail.com

2026 GOLF OUTING

Quaker Ridge Golf Club

146 Griffen Ave, Scarsdale, NY 10583
Date: May 11

Annual Golf Outing with Petretti & Associates in support of Swim Across America and TeamJF. Proceeds from the event will help "Make Waves to Fight Cancer" and raise money for cancer research, prevention and treatment. TeamJF was established in 2017 by Julian Fraser’s friends and family after he fought and lost a year-long battle with osteosarcoma. Julian was an All-American Swimmer and Collegiate Water Polo player when he was diagnosed at age 19. Unfortunately, Julian’s story is not uncommon. That’s our reason for being to raise money to fund promising research that will save the lives of other children and young adults. Learn more here.

For questions about the golf outing, please contact Julie Gibian or Cristy Fraser. 

You can find our Partnership Guide here. Thank you to all our generous partners that share our mission of fighting cancer.

IN THE NEWS

Here are some recent stories that display the impact members of the Swim Across America family have had in the Fairfield County Community.