project
The 2026 Bosphorus Cross-Continental Swim
A 6.5 km open-water swim from the Asian to the European side of Istanbul. August 23, 2026.
The race
Held annually by the Turkish Olympic Committee, the Bosphorus Cross-Continental Swim is a current-assisted point-to-point race that closes one of the world's busiest shipping lanes for a single morning. ~2,400 swimmers, 6.5 km, no wetsuits. It is the only legal day of the year to swim across the Bosphorus.
Hard dates
| 2026-06-12 | Registration documents due |
| 2026-08-19 19:40 | Arrive Istanbul (IST) |
| 2026-08-23 | Race day |
| 2026-08-24 21:20 | Depart Istanbul |
Costs (reference)
- Entry fee: €650
- Direct flight from Seoul: ~₩1,200,000 (booked early May 2026)
- Accommodation, food, transit: budget separately
Required documents
The race requires a registration package with hard cutoffs. Plan backwards from June 12, 2026:
- Health report signed by a physician
- Letter from your swim coach
- Coach's certified diploma
- Swimming license (federation-issued)
The license is the highest-risk item — it has the longest lead time if you don't already hold one. Start there.
Is this for you?
It's not for everybody. The filter is honest: time, money, body, skill, passion. If three or more of those are weak, do a smaller open-water race first.