Countdown At the Bosphorus

Over 2400 swimmers are looking forward to the 34th Bosphorus Cross-Continental Swimming Race to be held on Sunday, 21 August.

Annually staged by the Turkish Olympic Committee since 1989, the event will gather 2441 swimmers from five continents this year. The participants will enter the water in Kanlıca on the Asian side of Istanbul on 21 August and attempt to crossing to the European side where the finish area is located in Kuruçeşme Cemil Topuzlu Park. Depar Timing will provide the timing services for the 6.5km event as well as transmitting the results to the LED screens.

Having been selected the Best Open Water Swimming Race by the World Open Water Swimming Association in 2016, this year’s Bosphorus Cross-Continental Swimming Race received about 2000 domestic applications, and a total of 1243 swimmers were declared eligible to participate following the qualifications races in Ankara, Gaziantep, Izmir and Istanbul. The overseas quota, on the other hand, was filled within 12 hours after the entries opened, and 1198 swimmers from abroad will be travelling to Istanbul.

The participants can collect their race kits that include swimming caps with competition numbers and the timing transponders at the Kuruçeşme Cemil Topuzlu Park from 10:00 to 19:00 on 18-20 August. Kit collection will also be available on the race day between 07:00 and 08:30. The last boat to transport the participants to the start area in Kanlıca is scheduled to leave Kuruçesme at 08:50. The time limit to finish the race is two hours after the last competitor enters the water.

Information on the event and the full list swimmers are posted at https://bogazici.olimpiyatkomitesi.org.tr.