Beauty
The Turkish Olympic Committee’s annual Samsung Bosphorus Cross-Continental Swimming Race is so cool and so iconic.
On the one day of the year that the Bosphorus Strait is closed to all regular marine traffic and the open water swimming community takes over, the intercontinental crossing of the Bosphorus Strait is a showcase of all kinds of incredible images and memories.
With a 6.5 km course between Asia and Turkey that starts in Kanlıca on the Asian side of Istanbul and finishes at Kuruçeşme Cemil Topuzlu Park on the European side, it is a joy to watch and participate this celebration of international open water swimming that was won by Su İnal (15, Turkey, World Aquatics bio here, @su_inal_) in the women’s division in 58:54 and by Doğukan Ulaç (29, Turkey, @dogukannulac) in 56:49 who won the event for his fourth time (2018, 2022, 2023, 2025).
Su İnal’s Summer
İnal had quite a summer representing her native country of Turkey at the European Championships held in Croatia in May and then at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore where she finished 42nd in the 10 km race in 2:23:55.80, 27th in the 5 km race in 1:06:26.00, 36th in the 3 km Knockout Sprints in 19:12.20, and 15th in the 4x1500m mixed relay – all at the young age of 15.
Sadness
There is always an inherent risk in competing in and organizing solo channel crossings and mass participation events no matter how extensive the safety measures are implemented.
This year, 29-year-old Russian swim school owner Nikolai Svechnikov did not join the 2,800+ swimmers from 81 countries at the finish. The organizing committee issued the following statement, “We would like to inform the public about the work carried out by our committee and official institutions following the discovery that Russian athlete Nikolay Svechnikov, who participated in the 37th Bosphorus Cross-Continental Swimming Race, went missing during the race.
The 37th Bosphorus Cross-Continental Swimming Race, organised by the Turkish National Olympic Committee and one of the most established sports organisations in our country, was held under the highest level of security measures provided by the relevant institutions.
A total of 100 boats and vessels, including those from the Coast Guard Command, the General Directorate of Security’s Marine Branch, Coastal Safety, AFAD, the Fire Department, Underwater Search and Rescue Teams, and private organisations, participated in the operation. Sixty of these vessels served as security boats. In this way, the safety of every swimmer on the race route was ensured and they were constantly monitored.
The loss of one of our athletes during the race, which was conducted to the highest security standards with the coordination of all our state security units and the contribution of Türkiye’s distinguished institutions, has deeply saddened us all. We are working in full cooperation with the Coast Guard and Police to investigate the incident. As the Turkish National Olympic Committee, we will continue to share developments transparently. It is respectfully announced to the public.”
Mystery
However, media reports raise various issues with his disappearance and the official search that has continued for the fifth day of his disappearance – with additional questions raised. See here in The Mirror, here in the Moscow Times, and here.
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