RügenSundschwimmer celebrate their 60th anniversary - be careful in the water!

Jill Grigoleit

 · 04.07.2025

Rügen: Sundschwimmer celebrate their 60th anniversary - be careful in the water!Photo: Laura Kreideweiß
The masses plunge into the floods.
On 5 July 2025, the Sundschwimmen in Stralsund will celebrate its 60th anniversary. Over 1,000 participants will swim across the Strelasund on Saturday. Boaters are asked to exercise increased caution and consideration.

The Waterways and Shipping Administration has issued an official announcement for Saturday. Notice to mariners Please pay increased attention in the Strelasund. From around 12:00 to 15:00, 1,100 participants are expected to swim across the Strelasund.

More than just a swimming competition

The International Sundschwimmen can look back on a long history. As Germany's oldest long-distance swim, it traditionally takes place on the first Saturday in July. Conditions permitting, the course runs from Altefähr on the island of Rügen to Stralsund on the mainland and is around 2.3 kilometres long.

The traditional event attracts numerous participants and spectators to the Baltic coast every year. For organisers and participants, the event is far more than just an ordinary swimming competition - it embodies the maritime culture and history of the Hanseatic city of Stralsund. The impressive old town centre, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, provides an impressive backdrop for the sporting event.

Anyone can take part

The Sundschwimmen is characterised by its openness to a wide range of age groups and ability levels. From ambitious amateur athletes to experienced open water swimmers - anyone who wants to take up the challenge can take part. The safety of the participants is the top priority. A dedicated team of lifeguards, boat crews and medical staff ensure that the event runs safely every year. However, the starting places are highly coveted. Registration for the anniversary Sundschwimmen began at the beginning of January 2025 via the organiser's website. Within a very short time, all starting places were taken and registration had to be closed. A waiting list was set up for those who were unable to secure a starting place. There are still places available for children's swimming in Stralsund.


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Jill Grigoleit

Jill Grigoleit

Editor Travel

Jill Grigoleit was born in Hanover in 1985. An early childhood memory is the large collection of YACHT and SURF magazines from her sailing and surfing enthusiast father. However, growing up in a small Swabian village on the Neckar, she had less to do with water sports in her childhood, apart from a few trips to the Baltic Sea with her family. After studying journalism in Bremen and Hanover, she went into television for a few years. Through a few lucky coincidences, she ended up on the water in 2011 and then returned to the written word professionally. For over ten years, she lived with her family on a houseboat in their own harbor south of Hamburg and wrote a book about houseboat building and life with children on the water. Since 2020, she has mainly been writing travel reports and features about people who live and work on and near the water for BOOTE. She has been a permanent member of the Delius Klasing water sports editorial team since January 2024.

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