'Shall We Swim Across the Kur?!' kicks off in Mingachevir with record turnout

The fifth edition of the open-water swimming competition "Shall We Swim Across the Kur?!" has kicked off in Mingachevir with a record number of participants.

According to Report's western bureau informs, the competition is being held on the banks of the Kur River, jointly organized by the Azerbaijani Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Azerbaijan Swimming Federation and the Baku City Circuit Operations Company.

The project aims to promote a healthy lifestyle and advance the development of water sports.

The "Shall We Swim Across the Kur?!" competition is being held in Mingachevir for the fifth time. Interest in the event has grown every year, reaching a record level this year.

A total of 616 people registered to participate in the 2026 competition. The youngest swimmer is 12 years old, while the oldest is 79.

For the first time, participants are competing in two distances - 350 and 1,000 meters. A total of 111 participants chose the 1,000-meter distance, while 505 participants are taking on the 350-meter course.

Men and women are competing in six age categories: 12–17, 18–23, 24–35, 36–55, 56–70 and over 71.

Awards will be presented to the top three male and female finishers in each age category.

The 350-meter races were the first to start.