Cruce del Rio de la Plata
Río de la Plata, Buenos Aires, AR
- Distances
- 40 km · 60 km · 100 km
- Water type
- River
- Organizer
- Open Water | El Agua nos Une (OWA)
- Venue
- Río de la Plata
- Water temperature
- 22 °C
- Expected participants
- 120
About the race
The Cruce del Río de la Plata is a historic crossing connecting the coasts of Uruguay and Argentina, widely considered the widest river crossing in the world. Its legacy dates back to 1919 with the attempts of Enrico Tiraboschi, cementing its status as a legendary feat on December 21, 1923, when Argentine swimmer Lilian Harrison became the first person to complete it after 24 hours and 10 minutes of swimming.
Today, this challenge represents an extreme endurance test that requires a rigorous eligibility assessment, including an analysis of the athlete's sports resume and history of previous swims. Swimmers must face challenging conditions, including brown-tinted sediment, strong variable currents, and an average depth of 13 meters, demanding exceptional physical preparation and significant accumulated experience.
Course
Routes of 40km (Colonia-Punta Lara), 60km (Vte. Lopez-Colonia), and 100km (Double Crossing). Waters feature brown sediment, strong variable currents, and an average depth of 13m. Use of a safety buoy and swimming lights is mandatory. Night swimming is not permitted in Argentine waters.
How to get there
Swimmers must be in Colonia del Sacramento or Buenos Aires (depending on the distance) at least 2-3 days before the swim.