Polish long-distance swimmer Bartłomiej Kubkowski has achieved an unprecedented success that will go down in maritime and sports history. He became the first person to swim across the Baltic Sea from Sweden to Poland.
Sea-news.az reports that Kubkowski started from the Swedish coast (the Kåseberga area) on July 31. After approximately 55-56 hours of non-stop struggle, he covered a marine distance of over 160 kilometers, reaching the beach of Dziwnów, Poland, on the evening of August 2.
160 kilometers without touching the boat or sleeping Facing difficult weather conditions, strong currents, and cold water in the open sea, the swimmer followed strict international rules along the route. Throughout this entire period, touching the accompanying safety boat, getting out of the water, or sleeping was strictly prohibited. The athlete’s nutrition and water supply were carried out exclusively through special pipes from the boat.
This was Kubkowski’s fifth attempt to cross the Baltic Sea. In his previous four attempts, the athlete had been forced to stop the trek close to the finish line due to storms, strong sea currents, and physiological exhaustion.
Charity marathon for children battling cancer This challenging trek realized by Kubkowski within the framework of the “Ultra Baltic Swim” project also carried a major charity mission. The entire swimming marathon was dedicated to children suffering from oncological diseases under the patronage of the “Cancer Fighters” foundation. Thanks to the athlete’s step, more than 700,000 zlotys (approximately 165,000 euros) were raised for the foundation.
Before this record in the open sea, another Polish swimmer, Sebastian Karaś, had crossed the Baltic Sea along a shorter route. In 2017, Karaś covered the 100-kilometer marine distance between Poland’s Kołobrzeg coast and Denmark’s Bornholm Island in 28 hours and 30 minutes. Kubkowski’s result is considered the largest individual sea trek ever recorded in the Baltic waters in terms of both the distance covered and the degree of difficulty.
