Swimmer Tsanko Tsankov takes on the English Channel

Bulgaria’s top open-water and ice-water swimmer, Tsanko Tsankov, is set to take on another major challenge after months of intensive training: swimming across the English Channel from England to France. The swim will start near Dover and finish on the French coast. The straight-line distance is just over 34 km, but the actual distance may be significantly longer due to strong currents. The water temperature is currently around 20°C. Months of intensive preparation have gone into the upcoming attempt.

Over the past 90 days alone, Tsankov has swum 1,300 km in the waters of the Black Sea. In England, the swimmer and his team will wait for a suitable “window” to begin the crossing between August 19 and 26 — a period when weather conditions and currents are expected to allow the Bulgarian to take on one of the world’s most iconic swimming challenges.

The English Channel is part of the prestigious Ocean’s Seven series, of which Tsankov has already completed five challenges.

Edited by Miglena Ivanova

Translated by Kostadin Atanasov