AYSU Türkoğlu, who already holds the title of the youngest Turkish swimmer to cross the English Channel between England and France, is now embarking on a new journey along the waterway between Scotland and Northern Ireland.
In what is considered a far greater feat than crossing the English Channel, the 22-year-old swimmer hopes to cross the choppy waters off the coast of Northern Ireland and reach the coast of Scotland in a day between 9 August and 14 August.
If successful, Aysu will be the first Turkish woman to conquer the North Channel.
“Previously, I was only thinking of crossing the English Channel and was going to continue my other swimming events in Turkey, because the process of finding sponsors made me mentally exhausted,” she told Anadolu Agency.
“However, after completing the transition, I realized that I am not even at the beginning of my journey yet. I said to myself ‘You are strong, keep going girl.'”
Aysu is currently preparing for this journey, which is among the seven most challenging swimming routes in the world, in Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland.
“I thought going to a cold area would give me an advantage because I had been training intensely for cold water swims for the English Channel,” she explained.
“I also wanted a long distance, so the idea for the North Channel came to me.”
Kamil Alsaran, who previously held the title of the oldest Turkish man to cross the Northern Channel, will accompany her during the transition.
This pass will be approximately 36-40 kilometers (22-24 miles) and the water temperature will be 12-14°C, which is cooler than the English Channel.
Although there is only a week left until this important swimming event, Aysu is hopeful about her progress in the training process. She completed the tour from Küçükyalı beach in Istanbul to Heybeliada island and back. This journey took about six hours at a water temperature of 12.7-13.4°C.
The swimmer also found other ways to adapt her body to the cold water.
“Me and my father found a tub like we did for the English Channel crossing. We filled that tub with water from the well and put a bag of ice in it. I stayed in it for about an hour and a half,” she explained.
