On August 8, the “Shall we cross the Kura?!” open-water swimming competition will be held in the city of Mingachevir, along the banks of the Kura River.
Sea-news.az citing Oxu.Az, that the competition will be organized jointly by the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Azerbaijan Swimming Federation, and the Baku City Circuit Operations Company.
The main purpose of holding the “Shall we cross the Kura?!” competition, which has become one of the largest mass sports projects in open-water swimming in Azerbaijan in recent years, is to promote a healthy lifestyle, increase interest in water sports, and support the development of this field.
Interest in the competition, which is being organized in Mingachevir for the fifth time, has reached a record high this year. Thus, 616 people have registered to participate in the 2026 competition. Among the participants, the youngest swimmer is 12 years old, while the oldest participant is 79.
This year, for the first time, the competition will be held across two distances. Out of the participants, 111 people will compete in the 1,000-meter distance, and 505 people in the 350-meter distance.
The competition will be organized among male and female participants across the following six age categories:
- 12–17 years;
- 18–23 years;
- 24–35 years;
- 36–55 years;
- 56–70 years;
- 71 years and older.
It should be noted that participants who take first, second, and third places among men and women in each age category will be awarded.
