The 3rd of the Open Water Swimming Marathon Our Flag to Cyprus from Türkiye with our strokes took place on 18-20 July 2022. Organized under the leadership of Istanbul Yıldızlar Swimming Sports Club, the marathon started with the Former Minister of State Kürşad TÜZMEN entering the water from Anamur Pier as of 9:50 on 18.07.2020 and all swimmers covered a distance of 90.80 km in a total of 25 hours and 26 minutes in Girne Yavuz Discharging Beach.
2 Coast Guard Corvettes and 2 Emergency response boats accompanied the swimmers throughout the course.
Former Minister of State Kürşad TÜZMEN, Tarkan TÜZMEN, Nilay Ulugergerli, Özlem Ör, Faruk İLGÜY, Akın Savaş Toklu, Ümit Kemal Cengiz and Ahmet Bengöz took part in the team consisting of 8 athletes with open water swimming experience. Each swimmer swam alternately for one hour until the distance was completed. Athletes carried the Turkish Flag they brought from Türkiye to the TRNC and was delivered to President Ersin TATAR at the Nicosia Ceremony Ground.
The main goal of this project, which took place on the 48th Anniversary of the Cyprus Peace Operation and was supported by Ünsped Customs Consultancy, was to raise awareness by taking a stance against the assimilation of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in the international arena in political, economic, legal processes, and sportive and artistic activities.
You can watch the special file of the organization prepared by TRT by clicking this link.