In mid-March, as the coronavirus pandemic that has upended daily life for billions of people around the world took hold, swimmers began to fret for their summer swimming schedules. With due cause, it turns out.
On 23 March, the British Long Distance Swimming Association announced it would be cancelling its entire 2020 season. A day later, the International Olympic Committee announced it would be postponing the 2020 Tokyo Games until summer 2021. In early April, NYOW, the New Yorkbased open water events organiser that stages iconic swims including the 28.5-mile 20 Bridges event around Manhattan Island and the 120-mile, week-long 8 Bridges event down the Hudson River announced it would be cancelling its entire season, too.