Istanbul Organizers Detail Bosphorus Swim Route Safety Measures and Ferry Plans

The 31st edition of the Samsung Boğaziçi Kıtalararası Yüzme Yarışması sends swimmers from Kanlıca on the Asian side to Cemil Topuzlu Park on the European side, turning the Bosphorus ferries and two public parks into the core route of the event.

Route and ferry transfers

Swimmers gather first at Cemil Topuzlu Park for photo identification checks before boarding Şehir Hatları passenger ferries that carry them to the Kanlıca start line. Separate vessels handle different groups, with red-bonnet swimmers on the first ferry, orange-bonnet swimmers on the second and yellow-bonnet disabled swimmers transported on their own vessel. Each swimmer receives an electronic chip strapped to the ankle that records their time at the Kanlıca starting pontoon and stops automatically when they step onto the finish pontoon at Cemil Topuzlu Park.

Safety and timing on the water

Safety teams remain on the water throughout the crossing to assist any swimmer who feels unwell or encounters difficulty. The electronic timing system activates only at the Kanlıca start and ends at the Cemil Topuzlu finish, giving participants a clear record without additional checkpoints along the route.

Scale of participation

This year 2400 swimmers from 59 countries are expected, split evenly between Turkish and international participants to maintain equal access. The event has grown from its first edition in 1989, when 68 swimmers took part, to the current scale supported by Istanbul Valiliği and nearly 30 official and civil organisations.

Organisers stress the values of excellence, friendship, peace and equality that guide the crossing. The route itself highlights Istanbul’s position between two continents, with swimmers experiencing the short but direct passage that locals make daily by ferry.