‘Where else can you do an intercontinental swim and have such fun doing it?’
‘This exceeded all expectations. Met some fantastic people from all over the world and thought the swim was truly memorable.’
'Great moments are born from great opportunities'
With testimonials like these, it’s enough to make you want to sign up without a second thought. These are accounts from our most recent finishers of the Hellespont and Dardanelles swim, one of the world’s most iconic open water swims. Read on for more in-depth accounts on the lasting memory our class of 2017 have of their fantastic achievement.
“A highlight of 2017 for me was nailing the Hellespont in 1:04, beating Lord Byron by minutes. I had a perfect lead up to it by joining a great bunch of open water swimmers in Guernsey who challenge themselves on a weekly basis.’ ‘The trip wasn’t without obstacles – Çanakkale is not that easy to get to, Borajet decided to close, the weather on the day wasn’t particularly favourable but all paled into insignificance against the great Victory day event itself. Yes, it’s a bit nerve racking but so worth it! The team at SwimTrek looked after our small band of intrepid swimmers so well. We had an acclimatisation swim and a boat trip showing the route and a social evening before the swim, during the event they were alongside us as we swam, and they put on a fantastic celebration evening after the swim, all of which made it a trip I will never forget. Thanks again SwimTrek.” - Heidi L
“As the only American to have completed the swim with SwimTrek in 2017, I feel compelled to share my thoughts on the experience. Swimming across the Dardanelles was, without a doubt, one of the great physical feats of my life. Although I was a high school and college athlete, I had no background in swimming, had developed a somewhat stereotypical American build after years of being a desk jockey, and only began training about 10 months before the event. I was probably as surprised as anyone (especially my long-suffering wife) to find myself walking up the shore at the finish, exhausted but exultant. As one of the officials placed the commemorative medallion around my neck, he smiled broadly and asked from where I was visiting. When I replied ‘San Francisco,’ he chuckled and quipped ‘Long way for a swim.’ Yes, yes it was. At the time of writing, the governments of Turkey and the United States are experiencing somewhat strained relations, so it is imperative that individual people from our long-allied nations better get to know and respect each other. As much as my wife and I enjoyed meeting all the other foreign participants and the wonderful SwimTrek team, and proudly representing Team America for boat races at a local bar, we likewise treasured chatting with the local residents, sampling the delicious Turkish foods and drinks and learning the seriously amazing history of the region. When one day I am ready to look back and evaluate my time on this rock ball, this will surely be one of the highlights.” – Alan L
Heard enough and now raring to go yourself? You can sign up for the 2018 Hellespont Swim Race here.
