More than 220 contestants from 7 countries will take part in the 84^th edition of the Galata-Varna International Swimming Marathon – from Bulgaria, Russia, Ukraine, the UK, Germany, Denmark and Turkey.

The route of the marathon follows the coastline from Galata Cape to beach groyne No. 2 on Varna beach. The contestants will have to swim a distance of almost 5,000 metres.

“The marathon is one of the most important sporting events in Varna and we have to keep the tradition going, to keep it alive in the future,” said Varna Mayor Blagomir Kotsev. The oldest swimming contest in Bulgaria has been taking place since 1939, with only one missed year – 1944.

A jubilee commemorative cup will be awarded to swimming coach Borislav Georgiev who took part in the Varna-Odessa marathon in the 1960s. At age 16, at the time he was the youngest contestant.