Save the Date! Alcatraz Swim for Sight – Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025
JOIN US Sunday, October 5 for the Alcatraz Swim for Sight at the Aquatic Park – 700-898 Beach Street, San Francisco, CA 94109.
This year’s event is chaired by Ari Hirson. The Edward Charles Foundation will administer the event. Proceeds will go to the All May See Foundation to support UCSF Ophthalmology faculty research.
The goal for this year’s event is to attract 50 swimmers and raise at least $175,000. These dollars will continue to move research forward to eliminate blindness worldwide and create a world for all to see. Join us by swimming, donating, volunteering, or cheering on our swimmers the day of the event.
Past Swim for Sight Events
For over a decade, the Hirson family has led the Alcatraz Swim for Sight, a fundraiser challenging participants to swim across the San Francisco Bay from Alcatraz to Aquatic Park, raising vital funds for vision research.
Their efforts have generated over $1,000,000 to advance the field. After completing the tenth swim in 2022, Ron and Lorie Hirson passed the torch to their teenaged sons, Noah and Ari, two years ago to organize the 11th swim in 2023 and that event drew 48 swimmers and raised over $154,000 for the UCSF Department of Ophthalmology. In 2024, Noah and Ari had another successful swim, registering 47 swimmers and raising nearly $200,000. These funds will directly support UCSF’s groundbreaking efforts to develop cures for blindness.
Inspired by his mother’s experience living with Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP), a condition causing vision loss, Ari Hirson has embraced this leadership role again to organize the 2025 Swim for Sight event with a passion and commitment to continue supporting innovative vision research.
The Alcatraz Swim for Sight remains a beacon of hope for the visually impaired worldwide. With Noah and Ari’s leadership, this vital cause continues to thrive, inspiring the next generation in the fight against blindness. – https://www.alcatrazswimforsight.org/
Register to participate or make a gift today!
Registration is now open! To register a swimmer, or to make a donation (to support a swimmer), please visit – https://give.alcatrazswimforsight.org/event/alcatraz-swim-for-sight-2025/e627227
If you have any family and friends that may be interested in this event – please share this link with them!
General Schedule of Events*
Click here for additional information and details
- 6:15 AM – Registration
- 6:45 AM – Executive Swim Director Coach Briefing
- 7:00 AM – Walk to the Boats
- 7:20 AM – Board Boats
- 7:35 AM – Boats Travel Out to Alcatraz
- 7:45 AM – Jump & Enjoy Your Swim! (Note: Coaches will determine best jump time based on vessel traffic, currents and tides
* Note: this is the general schedule – please note times are subject to change as we get closer to the event. Please check back periodically for any updates.
Event Check-In Location: Aquatic Park on the Bleachers (700-898 Beach Street, SF, CA 94105) – noted in green on map below
FRIENDS AND FAMILY
We’ll be on the beach at Aquatic Park for the finish (noted in red on map below). Tell your family and friends to look for the Alcatraz Swim for Sight flags, near the bleachers, to ensure they are in the right location.
Click HERE to see Aquatic Park (the finish) on Google Maps.
If you have family and friends meeting you at Aquatic Park to cheer you on, we recommend asking them to arrive at 7:50 a.m., which is when we expect the first swimmer to cross the finish line!
Questions about the event
Contact Ari Hirson, Event Chair via email at: arihirson@gmail.com