Bengisu Avci (Turkey, 28, IISA bio here, MSF bio here, @bengisuavci) completed the fourth fastest female North Channel crossing in 10 hours 15 seconds yesterday. “I wanted to swim fast and did race tempo for last four hours [as] they lead me to the beach in Portpatrick [Scotland].”

Now the 28-year-old heads back to Çanakkale in her home country of Turkey to rest, recover, and sleep before she is scheduled to attempt a crossing of the Tsugaru Channel in Japan – with only a 10-day window – that would culminate in her Oceans Seven chase that began in 2017.

• 2017: attempt of a crossing of the English Channel was aborted due to hypothermia after 7 hours
• August 2018: 33.5 km crossing of the English Channel in 11 hours 29 minutes
• September 2022: 32.3 km crossing of the Catalina Channel in 11 hours 59 minutes
• April 2023: 14.4 km crossing of the Strait of Gibraltar in 3 hours 24 minutes
• May 2024: attempt of a crossing of the Molokai Channel in Hawaii crossing due to jellyfish 
• February 2024: 23 km Cook Strait from South Island to North Island, New Zealand in 10 hours 40 minutes
• October 2024: 45 km crossing of the Molokai Channel from Molokai Island to Oahu in 12 hours 10 minutes
• July 2025: 35 km crossing of the North Channel from Northern Ireland to Scotland in 10 hours 0 minutes 15 seconds
• July 2025: scheduled attempt of the Tsugaru Channel in northern Japan

Her husband and training partner Egor Tropeano (Italy, 32, IISA bio here, @egortropeano) is also heavily invested in her success. Both started out as young competitive age group swimmers and eventually wound up meeting each other in Croatia at a Red Top Swimming Club open water camp. Most recently, they both podiumed at the IISA 6th World Championship in Molveno, Italy where Egor won the 100m breaststroke and finished sixth in the 200m individual medley (while breaking the existing world record and setting an age group world record). Meanwhile, Bengisu finished third overall in the 100m butterfly and also finaled in the 200m individual medley.

Bengisu explains, “We have worked, non-stop last year.” Tropeano smiled, saying, “We are so happy; it is an amazing result as we are self-trained.”

A Deep Breath of Relief and Deeply Felt Expression of Gratitude

Tropeano, her husband, had planned to enjoy the experience in the North Channel and be on her escort boat. But he was sidelined with a severe bout of pneumonia prior to her start. He explained the situation, “I was admitted to Ulster Hospital in Belfast in Northern Ireland for 12 days due to a severe case of pneumonia. I collapsed on July 8th, right after arriving in Donaghadee for Bengisu’s North Channel campaign.

As I am not a UK resident, I naturally expected to receive a hospital bill to forward to my insurance provider. But today, I received an official email informing me that I do not have to pay anything — that the entire episode of care has been covered under local regulations.

This news left me speechless and deeply moved. It was an unexpected gesture of kindness and humanity.

From the very beginning — when the ambulance came to pick me up — I was treated with extraordinary professionalism, care, and kindness. The doctors, nurses, and all staff were not only highly competent, but also deeply compassionate. They made me feel welcome and safe, even though I was a foreigner.

They saved my life.

Without them, I would not have made it.

The facilities are excellent, the organization is outstanding, and most importantly, the people are exceptional. In one of the hardest moments of my life, I was lucky enough to fall into the hands of a healthcare system that truly cares. Thank you, Ulster Hospital. Thank you, Northern Ireland.

This country took care of me when I needed it most — and I will never forget it.”

Additionally, Bengisu was burdened with thoughts of her sick husband while preparing for her own North Channel crossing and visiting her husband every day, taking a 40-minute bus ride from Donaghadee to the hospital. She had to balance her final preparations, training, nutrition, logistics, and crew organization with the unexpected hospital visits – which was an emotional challenge placed on top of the mental challenge of facing the unpredictably fickle North Channel.

Tropeano recalled, “But we had a great support from the Chunky Dunkers community. Everybody supported us during this hard time“.

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