Marathon In 2026, Bulgaria marks the 62nd anniversary of the legendary Varna–Odessa Swimming Marathon, in which Varna native Borislav Georgiev became the youngest participant ever to complete the historic crossing—successfully swimming it at just 16 years of age. More than six decades later, the Varna–Odessa Marathon continues to inspire admiration and command respect as one of the greatest achievements in the history of open-water swimming. On 15 July 1964, twelve courageous swimmers from Varna entered the Black Sea from the Central Bridge in Bulgaria’s maritime capital. They arrived in Odessa shortly before noon on 23 July, after completing the record-breaking 502-kilometre relay swim. Each swimmer entered the water four times every 24 hours. Over the course of the seven-day relay, every participant covered between 42 and 45 kilometers, swimming four 30-minute shifts per day. Approximately 90 percent of the distance was swum freestyle, with the remaining 10 percent completed using the breaststroke. The idea for the historic expedition belonged to Milko Rachev, Borislav Georgiev’s coach. It was Rachev who organized what became the longest uninterrupted open-water relay swimming marathon in the world—the 502-kilometre route from Varna to Odessa—completed in seven days by twelve of his elite Bulgarian marathon swimmers. “He was a true innovator. Every day he came up with unusual and ambitious ideas. In 1963, Uncle Milko even wanted us to swim the entire Danube River—from its source to the Black Sea. That plan never materialized because we would have had to pass through capitalist countries, which was impossible at the time,” Georgiev recalls. During the crossing, the swimmers navigated by following the support ship Nikola Vaptsarov, accompanied by a patrol boat and a rowing boat. The historic undertaking became possible only after receiving the personal approval of Admiral Ivan Dobrev, known as Strandzhata, following a request from the legendary Varna swimming coach Milko Rachev. The twelve swimmers who completed the marathon were: • Petar Stranchevski • Borislav Georgiev • Dimitar Statev • Petar Panayotov • Haralampi Kalchev • Bozhko Bonev • Blagoy Valnaev • Milen Todorov • Dr. Hristo Odzhakov • Dr. Nikolay Gavrikov • Ardash Bedrosyan • Ivan Yankov (“Chikata”) An interesting historical detail is that Rachev had originally planned the swim five years earlier. However, Admiral Ormanov opposed the idea, asking: “Do you want to get everyone killed in those sea storms?” Admiral Dobrev later decided to support the expedition. Being a swimmer himself, he understood both the challenge and the prestige such an achievement would bring to the Bulgarian Navy. The swimmers encountered their first major test near Kavarna, where they were caught in a violent storm. Massive waves battered the relay team until Blagoy Valnaev, an outstanding breaststroke swimmer, entered the water. Knowing that the only way to make progress in such conditions was by swimming sideways against the waves, he managed to overcome the worst of the storm. Two hours later, the sea calmed, and for the remainder of the journey to Odessa the Black Sea became as smooth as glass. Dolphins swam peacefully alongside the marathon team. The marathon was so physically demanding that one of the swimmers, Petar Stranchevski, lost seven kilograms during the expedition. The youngest member of the relay was Borislav Georgiev, who was only 16 years old at the time. Looking back today, Georgiev recalls that the marathon was filled with unexpected challenges. At the point where the Danube River flows into the Black Sea, the current was so powerful that the swimmers remained almost stationary for a long period despite their efforts. While passing through Romanian waters, customs authorities warned the crew about the possible presence of naval mines and, for safety reasons, directed the support ship Nikola Vaptsarov farther out to sea. “Swimming across a sea is anything but easy, especially at night. You’re in the middle of the Black Sea and can’t see land anywhere. You look ahead into complete darkness, and it’s impossible not to feel fear. None of us dared admit it—but I was afraid too,” says Borislav Georgiev, now a coach at Bulgaria’s champion swimming club PSK Cherno More. The youngest participant also vividly remembers one particularly frightening moment: “It was incredibly stressful. Suddenly, while swimming, my body touched something in the water. You have no idea what it is, and the feeling is terrifying. Later I discovered it had been a dead dolphin.” One of the most emotional moments came when the swimmers reached Komsomolsky Beach in Odessa, where thousands of enthusiastic spectators had gathered to welcome them. “At first you could barely see the shore, and the sea was perfectly calm—like a mirror. The entire city was waiting for us. People welcomed us with tremendous enthusiasm and heartfelt applause,” Georgiev remembers. The Ukrainian television network Intervision produced an extensive report on the Bulgarian swimmers, preserving the extraordinary achievement for future generations. Two years ago, during the celebrations marking the 60th anniversary of the Varna–Odessa Marathon, Borislav Georgiev received a special commemorative trophy. The surprise award was presented by the organizers of the Galata–Varna Swimming Marathon during the official awards ceremony of the 84th edition of the race, in recognition of his remarkable contribution to Bulgarian open-water swimming history.
