20.07.2018
The 30th Samsung Bosphorus Cross Continental Swimming Race is set to feature more than two thousand swimmers from 52 countries in Istanbul on 22 July, alongside its surprise guests and pleasant events at the Istanbul Bosphorus.
Organised by Turkish Olympic Committee for the 30th time, the world’s only swimming race between two continents Samsung Bosphorus Cross Continental Swimming race will take place with a record-breaking attendance. Making big contributing to promote Turkey and Istanbul through sport, the Samsung Bosphorus Cross Continental Swimming Race will feature over 2 thousand swimmers from 52 countries. The Race was selected as the World’s Best Open Water Swimming Race in 2016 by the World Open Water Swimming Association (WOWSA).
Special Guests of The Race: Kirsty Coventry and Sergey Bubka
The 30th Samsung Bosphorus Cross-Continental Swimming Race will also welcome two of the most decorated Olympians of all time as special guests.
Zimbabwean swimmer Kirsty Coventry, who has participated at five Summer Olympic Games, collecting seven medals along the way, will join thousands of sports fans to watch the race. Another honoured guest, who is one of the all-time athletics greats, is four-time Olymipian Sergey Bubka from Ukraine. Bubka won gold at Seoul 1988, broke world records 35 times and is also a 10 time World champion. He is considered to be one of the greatest pole vault athletes of all time.
The Excitement will Kick-Off on 21 July
On Saturday 21 July, the excitement of the Samsung Bosphorus Cross Continental Swimming Race will kick off with various events and as well as the “Show Swim” with excitement peaking the following day for the big race. Fatma Nazan Göğen, who is the only swimmer to participate in all 29 races to date and Levent Aksüt who has completed it 28 times will take part in the “Show Swim”. Levent Aksüt will be joined by his son and grandchild, meaining three-generations of the same family will take part this year.
More Than 4 Thousands Applications from 55 Countries
This year’s race received record breaking 4430 applications from 55 countries. While foreingers’ quota was filled in 27 minutes, Russia’s quota for 450 people was completed in 13 minutes.