More than 4,000 people took on the 2026 edition of Swim Serpentine in London’s Hyde Park on Saturday 19 September.
Among the 4,600 people in the water were George Taplin, who completed the two-mile wave as a warm-up for his English Channel world record relay attempt, father-and-son duo David and Thomas Furze, who were celebrating Thomas’ 12th birthday, and Lee Bailey from the Black Swimming Association.
Swim Serpentine is the UK’s most iconic open water swimming festival, with participants taking on a range of distances – half a mile, one-mile, two-miles, or six-miles – in the famous Serpentine Lake.
British elite open-water endurance swimmer George Taplin completed the two-mile distance ahead of leading a relay team attempting to break an English Channel world record next week.
Taplin said: “It’s been great to come down and experience Swim Serpentine. I’d never swum in the Serpentine before, but I’d be keen to come back. It’s been great to do it as part of a big event. There’s a lot of good energy.
“We’ve got a huge challenge coming up on Monday. There are six of us taking on the English Channel as part of a relay team doing one hour each.”
He was joined on the day by his English Channel relay teammate and Olympic gold medallist Tom Dean, who cheered him on from the sidelines.
Thomas Furze celebrates 12th birthday
12-year-old Thomas, and dad David, from Poole in Dorset, were among the earlier finishers at Swim Serpentine after taking on the opening half-mile wave to celebrate turning 12 just three days ago.
Furze said: “Swim Serpentine is much bigger than anything I’ve done before – next year I want to swim even further. It was really fun; I really enjoyed it. Swimming makes me feel happy and calm. It makes me feel like I’m gliding through the water.”
Londoner Lee Bailey completed her first two-mile wave at Swim Serpentine. Returning in 2026, the Black Swimming Association’s Community Manager was supporting the charity’s work to improve water safety education and access to swimming opportunities.
Bailey said: “I love water, I love swimming, and I love the atmosphere at Swim Serpentine. I had a lot of self-doubt today, but the best part was just being here and doing it. I loved it. It’s a great event.
“I work for the Black Swimming Association – a drowning prevention and water safety charity. We work with communities that otherwise wouldn’t engage in aquatic sports and water. We try to make people feel safer and more confident, encouraging them to challenge their fears – which is what I’m doing today because I hate open water! We work with communities to show how water is good for everyone and how amazing the experience is if you do it safely."
Life doesn't stop for disability advocate
Quadriplegic disability advocate Mike Ashton, from Oundle, Northamptonshire, also completed his first two-mile swim, seven years after a cycling accident left him paralysed from the chest down.
Fundraising for the spinal cord injury charity Back Up, Mike took on Swim Serpentine by using a swimming technique adapted to his disability – swimming on his back and propelling himself through the water with his arms alone.
Ashton said: "Living with a spinal cord injury changes things, there's no getting away from that. But it doesn't mean life stops. It means you plan more, adapt, and find different ways to do things.”
Communities and charities work with 'special event'
Ben Craddock, Event Lead of Swim Serpentine, said: “This was the ninth edition of Swim Serpentine, with more than 4,600 people taking part, and it was fantastic to see so many swimmers enjoying the event in the heart of London.
“Swim Serpentine is a special event, bringing together swimmers of all abilities – from experienced open-water swimmers to those taking part for the first time. It says a lot about the appeal of the event that so many people return year after year, while we continue to welcome increasing numbers of first timers.
“Our work with communities and charities like the Black Swimming Association is helping to break down barriers, encourage more people to get active and offer people opportunities to experience the benefits of open water swimming.
“We hope everyone taking part in Swim Serpentine has had a fantastic day and we hope to see them again next year.”
Among the attractions out of the water at today’s Swim Serpentine was the ‘Ripple Effect’ activation highlighting community and environmental conservation at this year’s event.
The sculpture, designed by Bridge Creative, showed swimmers diving into a pool of water – all of which has been created using river trash and reclaimed waste materials. The sculpture aims to encourage people to care for open water swim spots, such as the Serpentine, and to dispose of rubbish responsibly.