Turkish athlete Bengisu Avci achieves a milestone in sports history by triumphing over Ocean's 7 Challenge.
Turkish Swimmer Bengisu Avcı Conquers the Tsugaru Channel and Completes the Ocean's Seven
Bengisu Avcı, a 30-year-old ultra-marathon swimmer from Turkey, has made history by becoming the first Turkish athlete to complete the Ocean's Seven, the world's most challenging open-water swimming achievement. On August 3, 2025, Avcı embarked on her journey with the English Channel, and after seven grueling crossings, she successfully conquered Japan's Tsugaru Channel, the most treacherous of the seven channels.
The Tsugaru Channel, located between Japan's Honshu and Hokkaido islands, is known for its strong currents and cold waters. Two other swimmers attempting the same route that day had already been forced to abandon their efforts. However, Avcı persevered, swimming for 15 hours to complete the challenge.
Avcı's mission was not just athletic; she used her swims as a platform for climate advocacy in partnership with AXA Türkiye. Under the motto "Why should the future be a risk?", she championed awareness about climate change and ocean sustainability. Each crossing for Avcı was framed as a metaphor for the urgent environmental battles humanity faces.
Facing the full force of the current, Avcı was swept nearly 14 kilometers off course, with just 3 kilometers remaining. Understanding that time was running out, she was urged to sprint by her team in the last 30 minutes before nightfall. With determination, she pushed forward and reached the final kilometer in the last 15 minutes, surging forward to finish just before nightfall.
Avcı's record-setting swim becomes more than a sporting milestone; it becomes a call to action for climate change and ocean sustainability. She joins a select group of individuals who have completed the Ocean's Seven, including modern open-water icon Rob Woodhouse, Atlantic Ocean swimmer Ben Lecomte, Irish swimmer Stephen Redmond, and the first woman to complete the Oceans Seven, Tina Neill.
For a comprehensive list of all Ocean's Seven completers, it's best to contact the World Open Water Swimming Association or check their official publications. Avcı's achievement serves as an inspiration for all, demonstrating the power of determination, resilience, and the importance of raising awareness about climate change and ocean sustainability.
In her historic achievement, Bengisu Avcı not only excelled in sports by conquerring the Tsugaru Channel as part of the Ocean's Seven, but also made a powerful statement for the environment by using her swimming feats to champion climate change awareness and ocean sustainability. Despite the challenges, she joined an elite group of individuals who have completed the Ocean's Seven, including renowned open-water swimmers like Rob Woodhouse, Ben Lecomte, Stephen Redmond, and Tina Neill.
