Bulgarian Ports
Infrastructure Company

The maritime capital of Bulgaria, Varna, once again hosted one of the city’s iconic sporting events – the International Swimming Marathon Galata – Varna, held on 27 July 2025. Over 260 participants competed in the 85th edition of this prestigious race, showcasing determination, endurance, and competitive spirit.
The most successful swimmers were Daren Kirilov from Silistra and Kalina Nikolaeva from Varna, who finished first in the men’s and women’s categories, respectively. Daren completed the distance in exactly 1 hour, while Kalina finished the course in 1:07:10 hours. For their achievements, the winners were awarded special prizes provided by the Bulgarian Ports Infrastructure Company (BPI Co.). Additionally, BPI Co. presented trophies to the two best-performing local swimmers: Kalina Nikolaeva and Antoni Moraliyski, who finished second in the men’s category, just 52 seconds behind the winner.
The competition enjoys widespread popularity each year. This year’s edition attracted swimmers from across Bulgaria, as well as guests from France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Ukraine, and Romania. The marathon route follows the line from Cape Galata to the Second Breakwater of Varna’s Central Beach. Although the course length is officially 4 400 meters, the actual distance covered by the participants was close to 5 kilometers. This is due to the impossibility of swimming in a perfectly straight line in open waters. The safety of the competitors was ensured by crews on rowing boats and patrol vessels from the Bulgarian Navy.
For the first time in the marathon’s history, every swimmer who completed the distance received a medal commemorating their successful finish.
The event was organized by the Black Sea Swimming Club, Varna Municipality, and the Bulgarian Navy.