I Swam from Asia to Europe with 3,000 People

[@acan.kayhan]

As a person who lives in Istanbul and who's been watching your videos to get better at swimming, this video has been a nice surprise to come across. I hope I can get better at swimming and I can be courageous enough to swim across from Asia to Europe at least once.

[@FaresKsebati]

Great to hear and hope to see you at this event in the future inshallah

[@kaya_cenk]

We, Turkish swimmers, love you and your videos. Thank you for joining us in this great race! We look forward to seeing you again. 🏊

[@FaresKsebati]

Thank you for watching and happy swimming

[@jonathanlyons3491]

I'm definitely putting this event on my list. Thanks for all the tips!

[@FaresKsebati]

You bet, happy swimming!

[@sandrahossman2089]

Me too

[@EmreDemir-hf2ef]

I was there too. I had goosebumps while watching the video. Thanks Fares

[@FaresKsebati]

Amazing! What an event! Hope you had a fun swim!

[@Murodearrimo]

I did this with my son about 10 years ago and I cut over too late!!! So I was on my way to the bridge and had to really hug the shore to get the reverse current to get back to the finish line…. I heard it is also a Native American (north and South America) technique to be able to canoe against the current. My son did it right and had an easier time ! It’s a wonderful event in a beautiful city where East meets west in more ways than one!

[@FaresKsebati]

Wow! Thanks for sharing your story!

[@brendankeefe8712]

How are you selected for this race?

[@ercanonge527]

such a nice story. i am a local in istanbul. i am swimming all over bosphorus at different locations. never done this crossing but i can tell you that the current is a real challenge. yes, there are characteristics here and there and you get familiar with those. but due to the wind and maybe some other factors, current can easily change even instantly %100 to the reverse and sometimes with such a might that you become helpless and just surrender to it. i strongly advice bosphorus which is really a unique swimming experience. one thing at bosphorus, you never walk into the water, you retreat and dash to your dive from like 2, 3 metres high into the cool water. and if you have jumping skills like front or back summer or else, you immediately become the hero of the spot

[@FaresKsebati]

Thanks for sharing! Hope to see you in Istanbul! 🇹🇷

[@onderyilmaz6813]

I grew up in Kanlıca and learned to swim with those crazy currents. It makes you a strong swimmer. Istanbul looks amazing , hi from NYC.

[@sukrubiniki4275]

Pardon me for videobombing @8:25 😂 but i was living my dream come true ❤ learned a lot from your videos and in 2 years made it to bosphorus💪 Fares is such a kind person we met on the street after the race. Thanks Fares for the swim cap and warm greeting. 👊

[@FaresKsebati]

Amazing! Thanks for saying hello! Great to meet you and happy swimming! 🙌

[@ecemdmr]

So good to see you in Istanbul again! Amazing video

[@FaresKsebati]

Likewise! Happy swimming

[@zakariacherifi6619]

How could I miss this while living in Istanbul ! The time of the event I was swimming in maybe the closest swimming pool to the Bosphorous 🤦🏼‍♂️🤦🏼‍♂️

[@FaresKsebati]

Next year! 🫡

[@servertanfer7602]

Good to see a familiar face in Istanbul, I did it in 51 min in 1996

[@FaresKsebati]

Amazing! What an incredible event

[@OVarlamov]

The bag is the same as 10 years ago 😂 I still use it for my pool trainings every week 😊

[@FaresKsebati]

Amazing! 5 years ago I got a backpack I still use

[@SaimPortakal-ub3ig]

Hey Fares We also want to see Dardenels (Çanakkale/ Turkey) next year. It is also historic and exciting route little known.

[@LafiammaTV]

I'm planning to do it next year, hope to see y'all there :)

[@kubanjankart2005]

Yes absolutely

[@FaresKsebati]

Looks like a party. Happy swimming

[@Blue_8800]

Great video! Thanks alot, now it is on my agenda!

[@FaresKsebati]

🙌

[@oscardelatorre2325]

Cheers from Mexico City, this is awesome race!!!, i want to do that race one time in my life !!!! Cheers

[@FaresKsebati]

Yes, I hope you can participate in the future

[@MoNATUREnique]

This was so cool! Thank you for sharing! I am visiting Istanbul next month. I would have loved to see an event like this. I subscribe because I wanted to learn to swim so I am not able to do this.

[@FaresKsebati]

This is for sure an incredible event, and I look forward to seeing you at a future one

[@lucial9887]

So much fun! Thanks for sharing!❤

[@FaresKsebati]

Thanks for watching

[@Berkayozdemir0]

We Turkish swimmers, love you and your videos , see you next year

[@skepticalmaiden]

This is truly amazing. Also; This seems perfect for Kara & Nate (KZbin) . Wonder if this is on their radar already.

[@FaresKsebati]

I think they would love it! Thanks for watching!

[@emrebozdemir6528]

Wow. That's a magnificent video. Even race's own sponsor did not put such thrilling video. Both quite explaining and same time very entartaining :) Thank you for this great video. This course is in my bucket list. Unfortunately I can not keep my pace up to finish the race (probably) And for any one who is interested to participate, they do a qualification. You need to swim 800 meters in specific time. I do not know whether they issue any wildcard to professional swimmers but without qualification round you can not participate the race.

[@FaresKsebati]

Thanks for watching 🙌

[@VandettaCEAL]

It seems amazing to swim in the most amazing city in the world

[@FaresKsebati]

💯

[@huseyindermis4960]

What a great swim! Congratulations!

[@FaresKsebati]

Thank you! It’s epic

[@rahkkas]

Bucket list, one day, for sure... 🏊

[@FaresKsebati]

🙌

[@tolgadayangac]

Thank you for putting me and my tattoo in your video. 😂 Pleased to meet you 🙏

[@FaresKsebati]

Great to meet you and hope you had an amazing swim!

[@tolgadayangac]

@@FaresKsebati 60 minutes 28 seconds ☺️

[@hallelreba8530]

This is so cool! The entire video was so immensely enjoyable to watch. I am just learning to swim, although I dont think I will ever be able to actually do this, one can still dream❤

[@juanhavas2405]

Thanks for sharing!

[@FaresKsebati]

Thanks for watching and happy swimming

[@adyton]

Perfect video!

[@FaresKsebati]

Thanks for watching

[@davidheilbron]

Congrats, Machine

[@FaresKsebati]

Thank you

[@sandrahossman2089]

Wow, what a gorgeous swim

[@FaresKsebati]

Spectacular 😍

[@nadzirahfarhah3423]

love this!!!!!

[@FaresKsebati]

Thanks for watching

[@dandogamer]

Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience with us! Where did you place in the end?

[@FaresKsebati]

I was fifth in my age group and 66th overall!

[@dandogamer]

@@FaresKsebati great job, I would love to do this race next year!

[@CiaoKitchen]

Congratulation finishing at top 100! I wanna participate in 2025. Did you have to take the pre-swimming elimination challenge in Turkey?

[@matteovabanes1]

It looks amazing! @fares just one question: why swimmers are not allowed to have an open water buoy?

[@FaresKsebati]

That’s a good question! I think they should give (and require) everyone to wear one. They could brand it for the race and that’d be pretty cool. My first thought is space. Everyone is pretty packed on those boats

[@matteovabanes1]

@@FaresKsebati I guess you're right, and maybe it is an organizational (or logistical) problem; therefore it should be common sense that an open water buoy improve swimmers' safety - I wonder if there might be some reason related to the strong current as well...

[@markdrewterry]

In light of the drowning at this year's CrossFit Games, I'm really interested to know what the lifeguard, patrol boat, Jet Ski presence was like for this event--which looks really, really cool.

[@FaresKsebati]

There were at least 80 support boats but I still think they should make everyone wear a safety buoy

[@brzezina75]

Brawo!

[@FaresKsebati]

🙌

[@jusufsyahrial867]

Semoga 3 tahun lagi bisa ikut partisipasi disana

[@hossamyounso3521]

I couldn’t participate this year due to my injury 😢 BUT I will be there next year 💪🏼 very interesting information about the finish I will surely consider it

[@open_water2411]

Hi Fares, any data on the cold water temperature?

[@FaresKsebati]

Water temp this time of year is about 78° F (25° C) and the cooler streams from the Black Sea are closer to 75° F (23° C). Not too much different than a competition swimming pool! Felt great!

[@open_water2411]

@@FaresKsebati Thank you so much for taking the time to respond. What a terrific event!

[@YunusalpAkdeniz07]

Welcome to our country Mr. ksebati☺️

[@FaresKsebati]

🏊‍♂️

[@kostantine2005]

Hahaha😂 "the finish just never came"

[@FaresKsebati]

😅

[@brendankeefe8712]

How does one make the cut for this event? Do you just have to get your application in the moment it opens? Does anyone know when applications are accepted for 2025?

[@yasirrizwan6333]

how to participate?

[@FaresKsebati]

Checkout the website and signup as soon as it opens. Normally 8 months in advance

[@kostantine2005]

What level of swimmers can participate? Is it completely safe?

[@FaresKsebati]

Most people who swim regularly can do this. You’ll need to be able to swim comfortably for 90 minutes and you’re set!

[@kostantine2005]

@@FaresKsebati thank you so much!!!!

[@gbone7581]

It seems like you just have to swim to the middle then drift down and then swim from the middle to the side.🤷‍♂

[@nikolaicvqtkov7265]

How much is the entry fee?

[@c.jishnu378]

Aquaman irl.

[@FaresKsebati]

🕺🏊‍♂️

[@atoms-to-atoms]

im in

[@Antipiens]

👏👏👏👏👏

[@FaresKsebati]

🙌

[@napraznicul]

How it cost the taxes for that race? They did not asking for bueys for swimmers?

[@FaresKsebati]

Good question(s). The race is $500 USD to enter. I think they should make everyone wear a safety buoy.

[@gbone7581]

@@FaresKsebati That cuts out us third worlders!

[@thangtran8281]

Zero swimming and all talking.

[@magikarp8767]

Its Constantinoupole

[@FaresKsebati]

🇹🇷

[@FORKandFIFTIES]

People work too hard Lol

[@beratboyukata4184]

🇹🇷🧿🇺🇸

[@FaresKsebati]

🙌

[@heikkisanelma6625]

no wetsuits allowed?

[@servertanfer7602]

Wetsuits are not allowed, water temperature can be 22-26 degrees depending on the wind

[@FaresKsebati]

Swimming in the sea feels amazing

[@КамранАли]

There is no such thing as Europe as a physical continent. It is all Euroasia.

[@kubanjankart2005]

[@FaresKsebati]

🙌