Avram Iancu (49, Romania, MSF bio here, @avramiancu) is doing well during the first half of his 530 km Triple Crown of River Stage Swims in the Rhine River. He is on schedule to swim from the North Sea to the Black Sea eventually reaching the Main River and swimming along the Danube River through the heart of continental Europe.

Day 16 saw Avram being covered by German television.

On Day 15, Avram passed through the Gates of Würzburg and arrived at the foot of the Würzburg Castle. He not only walked 17.8 km between the thresholds 283.6 and 265.8, but he also swam for 6 hour 25 minutes in 24°C water while many leisure boats sped past him making his swim through constant wakes of the speeding boats. He described his swim, “…the long-awaited moment has come: to go in the water and completely detach myself from everything about the world from the surface and let myself be carried away by the sublime embrace of the water.“

On Days 11 and 12 Avram continued to be energized by the people he encountered and sights he experienced. The weather was far from ideal and the first 8 km of the day were a disaster as he swam directly in the wind and the surface chop against him was relentless. He recalled, “I was starting to doubt that I would manage the daily 15 km routine. But I braved my heart, got back in and had the best swim half yet. I plunged my head into the water, disconnected from everything, and found myself swimming from one place to another for a total of 16 km as I arrived in the town of Schweinfurt.”

But the skies cleared for the next day when the sun began to shine again.

On Day 10, Avram has slept 3 nights in a tent, 3 nights in a hotel, and 4 nights in the houses of local people whose have offered their generosity to Avram and his team. “This swim unites Europe and its people from the North Sea to the Black Sea throughout the famous Rhine-Main-Danube river route. Today, I walked 18 km from Limbach to Obertheres, from Borna 368 to 350 on Main with the water temperature at 24°C. It was a turbulent day: after 12.5 km, we had to go to the shore due to strong winds and a heavy rain. It was a cold day, but with a warm soul ending with swans and a local family.”

On Day 9, Avram entered the Main river. He described it as “a water with a different consistency, cleaner, deeper and much richer. The shores are lined with trees, and the landscape is becoming more wild and spectacular. The kilometer boreholes are larger and more visible, and the water has a slight flow. Why does it easier? Because this sector is completely regulated too – 34 locks follow to the Rhine. Yesterday, I felt better than the day before and I managed the longest distance to swim so far: 16 km between the boats 384 and 368, from Bamberg to close to the Limbach lock. It was raining in places, swimming for 6 hours and 50 minutes.”

On Day 8, Avram completed the first 100 kilometers and reached kilometer 0 of the canal, completing the first important stretch of the routewhile reaching the confluence with the Main River. He wrote, “A new, long and demanding segment follows: only 384 km to the confluence with the great Rhine River which I have already swam in 2023 in the campaign dedicated to the integration of Romania in the Schengen Space. Today, I swam 12 km in an extremely physically difficult day – maybe the hardest so far. Once I arrived in Bamberg, I began to see people on bridges, on the shores, waving the flag of their shirts. It was exactly the energy that I needed. There are moments when exhaustion tests me deeply, but people’s support is pushing me to access inner resources I never knew I had.”

So far, he swum under 54 bridges and through 10 locks, averaging 12.5 km of swimmer per day.

On Day 7, he had his first thoughts of doubt as he continues swimming, submerged in the silence and the depth of the water. He reporter, “I contemplate on the majesty of God and His creation—so vast and perfect. I have been reflecting, especially, on the element that surrounds me and embraces me now: water. Just as we humans cannot make water out of anything – we only obtain it by combining hydrogen and oxygen, in risky processes deeply limited by our knowledge and energy – water remains a miracle of the divine work. Water surrounds us, supports us, and molds us. Before such a gift, the knees of the heart bow down in gratitude.

He swam 13.6 km today between borna 25.6 and borna 12 with excellent weather and 22°C water.

His support crew is lead by escort boat pilot Ulise Galu and observer Radu Ileanǎ.

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