Turkish ultramarathon swimmer earns second triple crown

ISTANBUL

Vural Tandoğan, a 57-year-old swimmer who swam across the English Channel, the Catalina Channel and Manhattan Island leg and earned the triple crown of ocean swimming in the past, has been honored with another triple crown after completing a series of three different swims in Lake Tahoe, located in the U.S.

Completing the first course, True Width, which is 19.3 kilometers long, in seven hours and 36 minutes, Tandoğan finished the Vikingsholm leg in eight hours and five minutes.

The second course of 34.3 kilometers long, Length, which is the most challenging leg, has made Tandoğan, who drank hot water to warm up while gaining energy by eating banana, swim for nine hours in the rapidly cooling water at night.

Even though the waves made it difficult for Tandoğan as the day started to get light, the U.S. captain of the escort boat helped him reach the finish line by jumping into the water with 100 meters to go.

Tandoğan, who had been preparing for two years, received the triple crown of ocean swimming, which is given by World Open Water Swimming Association (WOWSA), after completing three different swims in Lake Tahoe successfuly.

“I struggled in all the courses, but I didn’t give up. As I continued to get tired, I began to sink to the bottom due to the lack of oxygen as the lake is a fresh water,” said Tandoğan, who lost a total of five kilograms throughout three different swims.

“Ultramarathon swimming in lakes at high altitude is very difficult. Although I am twice as tired compared to the sea, I am happy to achieve my goal,” he said.

Tandoğan also pointed out that ultramarathon swimming is very important for the promotion of Türkiye. “If my health allows, I want to swim an ultramarathon abroad.”

“I would like this success, which I dedicate to the 99th year of our republic, to increase the young people’s faith in Türkiye,” he added. Türkiye was declared a republic in October 1923.

After turning his swimming adventure, which he started in 2008 to lose weight, into open sea swimming in 2011, Tandoğan, who crossed the English Channel in 2016 and the Catalina Channel in 2017, earned the triple crown of ocean swimming in 2018 by completing the trio by swimming acros the Manhattan Island route.

Swimmers who have completed two swims each of these legs earn the “double triple crown,” according to WOWS. Mexican swimmer Antonio Argüelles was the first to achieve this, getting his first triple crown in 1999 and the second in 2009.

WOWSA is an international association dedicated to the organization, promotion and recognition of open water swimmers, events, records, trends, publications, films, podcasts and achievements in the world of marathon swimming, including solo and relay channel crossings, competitive races of all distances.