Turkish swimmers Tunca and Uluarslan complete North Channel crossing

Two Turkish long‑distance swimmers have successfully completed the North Channel, one of the most demanding legs of the Ocean’s Seven challenge. 23‑year‑old autistic ultra‑marathon swimmer Tuna Tunca swam the 36‑kilometre stretch from Donaghadee in Northern Ireland to Port Patrick in Scotland in roughly 16 hours, battling 14 °C water, strong tides and dense lion‑mane jellyfish. Her support team – mother Gülnur Tunca, coach Mert Onaran and crew member Emre Deliveli – remained on a boat throughout, even assisting in the final three‑hour drift caused by a strong current.

In a separate effort, 25‑year‑old Melisa Uluarslan became the third Turkish woman to finish the same route, completing it in 14 hours 13 minutes under comparable conditions of cold water, powerful currents and abundant jellyfish. Uluarslan had previously crossed the English Channel in 2025, adding to her record of open‑water feats. Both athletes now have three of the seven Ocean’s Seven legs behind them and plan to tackle the remaining stages, with Tunca targeting the Catalina Channel later this year. Their achievements highlight the growing presence of Turkish athletes in extreme open‑water swimming.