Amsterdam City Swim draws 3,000 participants, raises €1.4 million for research

Swimmers plunged into the Keizersgracht canals on Sunday afternoon for the annual Amsterdam City Swim, a fundraising event supporting research and treatment for ALS, a degenerative and often fatal disease. This year, roughly 3,000 participants registered, making the event “larger than ever before,” according to organizers.

Participants have collectively raised at least 1.4 million euros in sponsorships. Beyond fundraising, the event aims to increase public awareness of ALS, which has no known cure and gradually robs individuals of voluntary muscle control.

The first Amsterdam City Swim took place in 2011, organized by a group of friends mourning the loss of a friend to the disease.

Competitors swam a 2.25-kilometer course through Amsterdam’s canals, weaving past historic bridges and landmarks. In the morning, the Scheepvaartmuseum hosted two shorter races: the Short Swim and the Junior Swim, each covering 750 meters for younger swimmers and casual participants. “Every lap and every euro counts toward finding solutions for those affected,” a spokesperson said.