Turkish swimmer Aysu Türkoğlu to tackle Japan's Tsugaru Canal in Ocean’s Seven

Ultramarathon swimmer Aysu Türkoğlu, a 28‑year‑old athlete from Bodrum, will attempt the Tsugaru Canal crossing in Aomori, Japan, on the evening of 22:00 Turkey time. The swim marks the sixth leg of the Ocean’s Seven series – a collection of the world’s most demanding open‑water routes. Successful completion would make her the youngest Turkish swimmer to finish six of the seven courses.

The Tsugaru Channel, linking Honshu and Hokkaido, is notorious for powerful currents, rapidly changing weather and marine life, and Japanese officials restrict the crossing to daylight hours for safety. The Japan Swimming Federation will provide official observers alongside Türkoğlu’s support team. She previously completed the Kaiwi Channel in Hawaii in 21 hours 22 minutes and has already swum the Man Sea, the North Channel, Cook Strait, Catalina Channel and the Kaiwi Channel.

If she completes the Tsugaru crossing, Türkoğlu will be one leg away from the final Ocean’s Seven obstacle, the Gibraltar Strait, solidifying her place in Turkish sport history.